The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-28
RhZORBACkS md MUSKRfTS.
The Chief Brands of Live Stock Owned by
EishinE BnN SumnitGrs.

Razorback hogs and muskrats are the chief
sources OF revenue to the inhabitants of the
borders of Fishing Bay. Md. The squatters-for
q majority of the dwellers are nothing more
are hospitable in tlIeir way. but are not more
advanced in civilization than are the people who
havc always lived I'm the out-of-the-wa noun
taius OF North Georgia and Alabama. Few OF
the houses huvo a habItable appearance. and a
majority Of them were built from lumber
found drifting In the bay and from timber
contiscatcd in the forests, there being immense
tracts OF valuable timber land along the
shores. These people believe they have the
RICH to appropriate whatever timber they may
need in the construction Of their rude cabins.
and ii is seldom that the landowners interfere
with them.
Like tho ra2orback hog and muskrats the
people are prolific, and swarms OF children may
be seen around the cabins in any of the viii
lagos. Both men and women are interested in
making a living. and the children are taught
early to assist in cultivating the gardens and
truck patches. The male members OF a family
generally have all they can do in looking after
the muskrut traps and the gardening is left
to the care Of the women and children. Nearly
oil use tobacco-chewing. smoking and dipping
snuT. When times are hard and money scarce
they use rosin from pine trees as a substitute
for tobacco.
The droves Of razorbqck hogs that are to be
seen about all the villages will scarcely take
the trouble to get out Of ones way. The razor
back - n breed OF hogs raised, in the South be-
fore the war, and still abundant in the piney
woods OF Georgia along the locality whoro
Mark Hanna has his summer home. This hog
has an important M is'ion to perform in the Fish
way with the hundreds Of, carcasSes Of musk
rats that accumulate, although the muskrnt
nuskratters and Their families. 'o Indeed the
flesh OF muskrats Is no doubt superior TO thut
Of the razorback; the ham O which IS almost as
pie along the shore say that theyicould pot get
aiong, without the razor6ack. lie Is their sani-
he Is one of them they do not fear an epidemic
OF contagious disease.
A few Of the illustrators have made money
trapping the little animals. but a majority OF
them Just manage TO exc out a bare existence,
While the muskrat has his house in the ground
high. the lower floor being Hooded with water.
torranean, entrance Is that the rat has an exit
which will not brtray him in time Of danger.
hnt hls instinct does not warn him against the
IN the water at the mouth Of the entrance to his
home in the hank Of the river. ,This, trap is a
inches IN width. In each end is a wire door.
hung on hinges at the top; The slightest push
will not open from the inside.
This trap, is sunk at the entrance to the
Rm omss or on n q foTsiat aR Rex TnifhSr he he Is IS SSs tS
walk into it. A muskrat cannot remain under
water indefinitely. and before he has time to
gnaw his way out OF the box he browns. An
entire family Of muskrsts is frequently caught
n a single might in one trap, During rxtrnor;
out Of their houses and take refuge in the open
country. and then it is that the trappers and
While it is claimed that a muskrat has instinct
which ~iOrctells rising tides and overflows. they
are. frequently caught mapping and have to
make Il hasty exit to high land.
AZ this season, of the year muskrats are very
axe 70 the crops. Later on they will have a
regular feast cutting down young corn in the
bottom lands. Farmers along the shores are
kept busy dcviSing ways of killing of the
pests. and regular trappers are regarded as
public bcnetactors throughout that section of
Maryland. However. the trnprcrs' razor
backs and tn" farmers are often at war with
each other. the ra2orhacks insisting that they
have the right to assist tho %neighbOrs in har-
vestinE their crops.