Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-01-18
SKUNK FARMING.
Millions In 1t, According to an Agri
cultural Department. Officials

cultural Department Officials
There's money in skunk farm"
said an official of the Agricultural De-
partment, "and skunk farming will
some day be a great industry in this
country. There's a barrel of money
in the business, and yet the man who
suggested it was regarded as being out
of his head. 1t does not take a pro-
longed and expensive investigation to
demonstrate the truth of what | as
sert. 1t is not necessary to send a lot
of agents from this department helter-
Skelter over the country to gather
facts and figures. Not a bit All that
is necessary is to get one of the old
time fellows who has spent his life on
farm and in the woods, and who is a
close observer of the habits of var
mints,' and he can give all the infor-
nation needed.
"An old fellow of this kind can tell
you when the first skunk was discov-
cred on the American continent, how
often they have young, how many, how
fast they grow, to what age they live
and, as | have said, tell all that is
needed. From such information as
this it is easy to figure out the facts
you wish. Coming from such a source
there can be no doubt of its accuracy
while there are no official stats
tics on record it is known that skunks
the American skunk-will begin
breeding at one year old. They breed
twice each year, and have litters Of
from five to thirteen, an average a
eight to litter. 1t is said that skunks
1.-Two L..
NAL, so there is little expense in rails
ing them. They are of a different dis
position to the coon, squirrel and
many other small animals, in that
they cannot be tanned, and | do not
suppose that many people would care
to have one as pet.
There are two distinct species of
the American skunk-the jet black
and the black and white striped. The
pelt of the latter can always be sold
for 81. The oil from the skunk is
worth so cents an ounce, and is used
in several cases of Group, colds and
kidney diseases. The oil does not
have the unpleasant aroma Of the
skunk.
Now, 1t has been figured out that
man who understands skunk farm
ing can begin on twenty skunks-fif.
teen females and five males-and in a
few years he will have a large and
very healthy bank account. 1t is easy
to calculate how rapidly these twenty
skunks will increase in number. II
you begin operations on the farm in
the early fall the skunks will breed in
December Right from the jump, esti-
mating the increase at the rate Of
eight to the litter, you have an in.
crease of 120 skunks. Well, in June
they breed again, and at the same
ratio of increase at the expiration of
one and one-half years you will have
7,495 skunks. In four years, without
mishap, your skunks will have in.
creased to 3,7S0,000.
This is good, big drove Of skunks,
and, if the pelts are worth 81 each, the
pelts of 200 males skunks would bring
in open market 5000, and the oil at
80 cents an ounce would be worth
$780, Then figuring as we did on the
increase of skunks, the pelts Of which
would be worth just as many dollars
as skunks killed. The amount of oil
| gathered from from this number Of
| slSunks would amount to 29,600 ounces,
worth $14,S00. At the expiration of
| four years you would have killed L.
| 100000 male sknuks, the pelts of
which would be worth 1880 900, and
the Oils 10000 ounces-$7, $50, 900,
and you would still have 100000
| skunks left to continue business with.
'"rhese figures are not at all extrav.
agant and it will not be long before
some of our enterprising citizens will
be embarking in the skunk farming
business. | do not know of anything
which will produce money faster than
this, and the beauty of it is that it only
takes a small sum to begin with. 1t
discounts raising five-cent cotton or
any other agricultural pursuit that |
| know of IN. Y. Sun.