The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-08-24
A SKUNK FARM In OHIO.
THE NEW INDUSTRY PAYS FAIR.
LY WELL.
What the Animals Like for Food
Price Of Their Fur-lIttIe Skunks
Are as Playful az klttens-The
Proper Time for Marketing.

Are az Playful az kittens-The
Proper Tlme for Marketing.
The Oldest and largest skunk farm
In Ohio is located six miles northeast
of Upper Sandusky, Wyandot county,
and is owned by Silas Il. 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 TO the IL
nancial gains and success OF the enter
prise. Mr.. DeBolt is ia a position TO
do far better than many others, as
one OF the requisites Is said 20 be
plenty OF room for the animals 10 run
and pasture, as they positively will not
thrive In close confinement. Mr.. De
Bolt has n piece OF meadow lana
amounting 10 four acres, which is
called the park" 1t Is rolling, with
a stream OF water threading its 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 20 be seen around the park
all day long, and are able TO find
enough TO eat In the way or grass
hoppcrs, bugs and worms. Az the
weather grows cold they only come
out about four o'clock. or when the
sun is brightest; and In severe wealth
er they are not seen for days, only mp
pearlng to get food, which, in winter
weather, consists OF scraps from the
table or the offal from the meat mar
ket. The statement that they are
fond OF chickens and will rob the
hen roost is contradlcted, although 1t
is said they are fond Of eggs.
Mr.. DeBolt Is genuinely fond OF his
skunks. They are much In appear
ance like the cnt, with shorter legs
and large, bushy tails. There are
some with only small patch OF white
on the top OF the head, the rest OF
the body n glossy black. Others have
a broad white stripe down the back.
The less white fur the more valuable
the pelt, and as there nre very few OF
the very black skunks, this Is one OF
the reasons why there is not 80 much
profit as one Is led to believe. The
blackest fur will bring $1.35, but
where there Is n plentiful sprinkling
OF white the sum realized Is 80 cents.
The oil is said to be valuable In cases
OF asthma, colds, Group and similar
affections, and while it IL said 10 DO
worth 30 cents an ounce. the class OF
men who engage In skunk farming
are not the class who are In posi-
tion to dispose OF the oil to advan-
tage, and half pint will bring but
10 TO 10 cents. In regard TO market
ing the fur, while the farmer lis al
lowed 10 TO - cents for the prlts con.
tanning the white fur, the furrcr is
able to sew the white together, dye 1t
and put IL on the market ns n sec
ond grade OF fur which will bring but
little less than the first grade. only n
few weeks ago Mr.. DeBolt shipped
$50 worth OF the pelts to Chicago and
New York, and n few weeks previous
he shipped another $50 lot. but he said
what he realized was much less than
half that sum. lie has about fifty
skunks in the park.
In February Mr.. DeBolt received a
letter from w. Fowler, OF Halifax.
Nova Scotia. asking for pelts OF
skunks or any other fur-bearing ami.
NAL for the London house represented
by Mr.. Fowler as he had been un-
able TO meet the demand for furs OF
all kinds. All furrlers 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 In In n burlap sack.
Those engaged I'm raising the animal
will pay bounty of % cents and al
low something besides for the pelt.
The animal is scientifically killed by
chloroform or n blow on the head.
The disagreeably odor which char
acterizes the skunk ls discharged
when 1t dies. and for this reason the
sooner the animal is skinned and the
pelt cured the better and freer 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 TO be playful about the time
of planting in the spring. The kit
tens are particularly pretty, and II is
said TO be n pretty sight to see the
mother skunk with six to dozen
kittens following the plow across the
field. When n worm is found she will
stop and give II TO the first Of the little
ones In line. then the next worm IL
given TO number two and so on until
all have been fed.-Cleveland Plain
Dealer.