The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-19
5MuskRAr asa peLlcAcy.


unasr ne Hans n Marsh Rabbit Il
u nstesmel IN Maryland.
Epicurean friends Of J. Frank Morri-
son, the big chief" 10 Democratic poll
tics Of the west end, are giving express
sion 10 fond hopes that he will celebrate
the recent victory Of bis party by giving
muskrat supper to which they will BE-
invited. Mr.. Morrison's nuskrat seances
have made him famous, and the meat Of
the little animal 10 a most popular delica-
cy in Baltimore. though for many years
its favor on the Eastern Shore has been
duly and truly appreciated.
The only thing against the inoffensive
muskrat Is its name, and those who take
umbrage at the association the name sug-
gests can relieve their tender sensibilities
by substituting marsh rabbit, q name by
which the little fellow IL now generally
known among the white folks" Of the
Eastern Shore. While In former years
the tender and savory meat was consign-
ed to consumption by the negro slaves,
just as terrapin and canvasback ducks,
because of their abundance and conse-
quent chcapness, It has In more recent
years found its way TO the tables Of 1.-THE
wealthy and aristocratic classes in the
towns. OF course there is much in the
preparation Of the meat to render It q
delicacy. Mr.. Morrison has made this
preparation life study and Is now past
grand master in this branch Of the Gull
nary art. He has studied with the love
and precision Of chemist the condi-
ments and the quantity of the same to be
added and when and how to be added
when the marsh rabbit III you please 10
undergoing the cooking treatment pre-
paratory to tickling tho epicurean palate.
There is one thing about Mr.. Morri-
sons marsh rabbit suppers which should
recommend them to high livers with full
appetites and lean purses, for the meat
does not cost much. In the tidewater
sections of the peninsula 1t IL frequently
a drug on the market because of it's
abundance. The animal Is hunted for it's
pelt as well as its meat. The pclt is the
main source of profit. The animals are
shot, though they do not furnish much
sport, as they live In marshes. over which
tramping Is not very pleasant. The trap
is the method generally In vogue to cap
ture them. As soon as mnskrat is
caught 1t plunges into the water, the
weight of the trap holding it down until
the animal is drowned. When 4 muskrat
Is trapped on land, it eats Its leg off
above the trap and escapes on three legs.
In skinning muskrat an incison is
made near the root Of the tail, and the
skin is then pulled down over the head,
the way a man takes off his shirt. The
skin Is then turned fur side out and haul
ed over single to stretch and dry. I'm
til two years ago the skins were very
cheap, bringing no more than 10 Or -
cents each. When skupk fur went out Of
fashion and the skunk farmers failed,
muskrat skins doubled in value, SO that
good skins now bring rs and 80 cents
each. When man can take 80 or 40
muskrats a day and keep it up through
the winter the business affords large
margin of profit.
The dealers who buy the pets ship
them to Boston and New York, where
they are tanned and dyed and put to !
many uses. Nearly all Of the cheaper
furs of commerce are made from musk
rat skins. They are also used for Innings
of cloaks and overcoats, and are made in |
to caps, capes, boas and NUTS, many Of
which are worn by the wives and daugh- |
tiers of the hunters who captured the |
pelts. A cape made of II skins which the
trapper sold for So will cost him SO or
SIS when he goes to purchase it at the
fur stores.-Baltimore American.