The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-04
..Fren1.n Fnrming in Indiana.

A correspondent of the St. Louis Globe
Democrat, writing from Auburn, Ind,
mentions the unusual materials that many
farmers of that state are making use of
in place of the staple crops.
Besides describing a 'leech farm men
ton is made Of a farm where Angora cats
are the main feature. In Shelby county
several farms have gold fish as an adjunct,
from which two millions of fish were sold
last year. Three or four farms are men
toned, where ginseng is largely grown.
one farmer planting 100 acres. OF two
other industries" he writes as follows:
Indiana farmers are becoming freakish in
their pursuits. During the present year
some of the most startling dlgress ons
from straight agriculture and horticulture
have been made by Indiana land owners,
and corn has been laid on the shelf, while
they turn 10 raising skunks, weasles, tom
cats, bull frogs, obnoxious weeds and var
mints. There are six skunk farms in In
diana to-day and the farmers are getting
rich The industry is becoming so con-
siderable in Importance that it was trust
ed but two weeks ago. Skunks have long
been held in anything but reverence by
the straight agriculturist, and il never
occurred to him that they would be a good
and much less a desirable crop. The
largest skunk farms in Indiana are in De-
Kalb and Lake counties The odferous
animals are raised by the ten thousands.
The swell lady who aspires to be just
the thing" in what she wears on her back,
is laying aside her sealskins and donning
the glossy pelts Of the skunk. OF course
she would be Mortified if any one should
accuse her of wearing a plain skunks
skin, but that is the thing she buys I'M
der an imported name from Paris. The
seals coat is not near so glossy and pretty
as the pelts of these little animals. A
black skunk Is worth 80 in any market TO-
day and the striped ones are worth $3.50
up. They are very easy to raise are
found to be respectors of persons, discrim-
inators in their acquaintance and have
Keen sense of appreciation Unless an en-
envy had invaded their sacred precincts
recently any one could drive down the
road past a skunk farm and never suspect
that probably 5000 of the animals were
within twenty miles of him. There is no
prettier sight than 10 see several thousand
of the kittens playing in the sun or the
moon light with their glossy coats giving
off regular electric light gloss They are
very easily and inexpensvely raised and
placed on the market.
There are now three big rabbit farms i'm
Indiana. The largest one is eighty acres In
extent. and is located near Wabash and
known as the Wabash Belgian Hare
Breeding and Importing Companys farm
grounds and in this Enclosure is rabbit
kennel which is heated by steam and
lighted by electricity. The company is
headed by Nathan Meyer of Wabash, who
probably knows more about rabbits than
any man in the country. He finds that it
is necessary 10 have $1,000 female and for
ty buck hares to raise 1000 600 of the Bel
gian breed a year. The company has
Herman Wolff, an agent, in France and
Belgium at present buying them up by tho
thousands and shipping them to their In
diana farm. The rabbits live on haS and
grass. consuming fifty-six pounds of the
former or $50 of the latter during the sew
en- months it requires them to properly de-
velop Each female will breed seven or
eight times a year and each time have
from three to five rabbits. Their pelts are
worth from Toe to Csc apiece, and their
hair is used in making the finest white
crush hats They are edible and also
command a market price as pets.