The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-06-22
A SKUNK FARM In OHIO.
THE NEW INDUSTRY PAYS FAIR.
LY WELL.
What the Animals Like for FOOD
Price Of Their Fur-Llttle Skunks
Are as Playful as kittens-The
Proper Time for Marketing.

Proper Time for Marketing.
The oldest and largest skunk farm
In Ohio is located six miles northeast
Of Upper Sandusky, Wyandot county,
and is owned by Sllas B. DeBolt, who
has for six years past been engaged In
this enterprise. While Mr.. DeBolt
has been ordinarily successful with
his undertaking, he does not express
himself enthusiastically as 10 the IL
nancial gains and success OF the enter
prise Mr. DeBolt Is In a position TO
do far better than many others, as
one OF the requisites Is said 10 DE
plenty OF room for the animals 20 run
and pasture, as they positively VIII not
thrive in close confinement. Mr. De
Bolt has piece OF meadow land
amounting 10 four acres, which IL
called the park" 1t is rolling, with
a stream OF water threading It's way
IN and out, the water being another
desirable feature. The ground is en-
closed by fence about four feet high,
with two feet OF wire network around
the base to prevent the animals from
digging or climbing out In summer
they are 10 be seen around the park
all day long, and are able 10 find
enough TO eat In the way or grass
hoppers, bugs and worms. AS the
weather grows cold they only come
out about four O'clock, or when the
sun Is brightest; and in severe wealth
20 40 n
pearing to get food, which, In winter
weather, consists OF scraps from the
table or the offal from the meat mar
kct. The statement that they are
fond OF chickens and will rob the
hen roost is contradictcd although 1t
is said they are fond Of eggs.
Mr. Dcl}olt Is genuinely fond or his
skunks. They are much In appear
ancc like the cat, with shorter legs
and large, bushy tails. There are
some with only n small patch Of white
on the top of the head, the rest OF
the body "A glossy black. Others have
n broad white stripe down the back.
The less white fur the more valuable
the pclt, and as there are very few or
the very black skunks, this Is one OF
the reasons why there is not SO much
profit as one Is led TO believe. The
blacklist fur. will bring $l35, but
where there Is "A plentiful sprinkling
of white the sum realized Is 30 cents,
and sometimes rs low as 10 cents.
The oil is said to be valuable I'm cases
OF asthma, colds, Group and similar
affections, and while IL Is said 10 be
worth 30 cents an ounce, the class or
men who engage in skunk farming
are not the class who are in posi-
tiOn TO dispose of the oil TO adyan-
tage, and n half pint will bring but
10 TO - cents. In regard TO market.
ing the FUR while the farmer Is al.
lowed 10 to - cents for the Ucl's con
tanning the white fur. the fuTicr Is
able TO sew the white together, dye II
and put 1t on the market as sec
ond grade OF fur which Will bring but
little less than the first grade. only a
few weeks ago Mr. DeBolt shipped
$50 worth of the pclts TO Chicago and
New York. and few weeks previous
he shipped another $50 lot, but he said
what he realized was much less than
half that sum. He has about fifty
skunks I'm the park.
In February Mr., DeBolt received a
letter from w. Fowler OF Halifax,
Nova Scotia. asking for pelts OF
skunks or any other furbcaring ami.
mai for the London house represented
hxs AIp hn
able TO meet the demand for furs of
all kinds. All furriers say the de-
mand for furs has been greater the
past year than ever before.
The skunks are trapped either by
the wooden or steel trap, and are usu.
ally brought i'm in n burlap sack.
Those engaged in raising the animal
will pay a bounty of 20 cents and al.
low something besides for the pelt.
The animal is scientifically killed by
Chloroform or blow on the head.
The disagrceably odor which char
acterizes the skunk IS discharged
when IL dies, and for this reason the
sooner the animal is skinned and the
pelt cured the better and frecr from
the unsavory odor. This fluid is only
discharged when the animal is fright
ened and as a means OF defense. The
sack containing the fluid can be re.
moved from the kittens, but not so
well from the older skunks.
The little skunks are just large
enough 10 be playful about the time
of planting in the spring. The kit
tens are particularly pretty, and Il is
said TO be a pretty sight TO see the
mother skunk with six TO n dozen
kittens following the plow across the
field. When n worm is found she will
stop and give IT TO the first Of the little
ones in line. then the next worm is
given 10 number two and so on until
all have been fcd.-Cleyeland Plain
Dealer.