New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-14
MAINE FOX FARM.
--rnJSG The ANIMALS FOR THEIR
FIR MORE PROFITABLE THAN
RAISING CROPS.

,se Sept L (Specian.-Elijah Norton, OF
.tIiage finds foxes a more profitable crop
pH- ,,-atoes or hay, and so he long ago 9uit
tn ..r and hoeins and moving. and is now &C.
P4- his entire attention 10 raising the sharp
Fo1Hs bushy tailed little animals whose fur is IN
t!eO aoroand always and everywhere "hen
sIs- ,acs- raising foxes IL an experiment
N0 - has the business established on a hishis
he.otle basis, and his sunny hillside farm on
piO- h.rk of the Piscataquis is known as the best
ing piece Of land in Maine
pane ton fox farm is not the first in Maine, for
L. had been successfully bred by man on
.1.on Island. Boothbay Harbor, years before 'ie
f1e- ,ernrise was thought of. When Norton
- e.av 10 go into the fox business lie visited 'ii
-, Island farm. and one on Prince ho"aiu
"a IN the Gulf OF st. Lawrence. TO get poihts'
"a s,so to buy some breeding stock linen ne
lied .rte beat the original fox farmers anu "e
has succeeded. a.. -,s of
80 ,a-ton at the outset recognized the TACT
.Sa+ "a be healthy. and thus profitable ms S'och
6, he cortented, and 10 insure tnat happS 'V
=, n, 50 constructed and arranged fis iifoio
5isrel the idea of captivity-Whlch loAes OaN
Ss .ns,,-A He built fence sixteen feet hlgh' oi
S,-y and si,ecialiy wire, TO Keep 'iie ioAe'
=. - l-ee,. other animals out. Six ENCLOSURES
- Fo-n,zd cover about and half acres OF
,5 and in each of them is kennel ouiit CT
ood and set deep into the earth, SERVING d
,rssrv and as a den for the foxes IN "ih'ef- AZ
4rst q few Of the foxes escaped oE puiio"i,is
dow, u1der the fence, but Norton stopped TINS ny
o.--,4rs the wire down from 1our to eight FEET 10
olid ledge The whole farm has been aloWeu
= -oyr III, V-sth rank grass and weeds, so that II
resembles the native hsunts Of the toN IN tue nv
.,ood and Nortcn's stock does not seem 10 IealH1
that if is living in captivity stranger visiting
,be Mace sees at first only the growth OF "eeus
cd ,,n5a-hr11sf7 the foxes all scurrying 20 cover AZ
hui .eeki closely one may Ce-
-. 80 and there pair OF bright eyes peePins
-. At him from the tsnglc- The Norton foxes are
. nary and alert as ever their ancestors were III
,Ls yilds Of Maine. Canada. Ohio and Alaska rom
ne ,cb regions the colony has been recruited
on the farm are common red foxes from ,, me
weeds Maine. blue loAgs nrS"s n bIats from,
Ss TI,e rods are the commonest and least val
ono III -. f111as are worth more. but the silver
GeG OF ION faCts are the aristocrats As mat
80 - fart the black and the silver gray are the
lsr q 49,, aaeaif a silver gray being a black with a
stILie IF graz hairs The black fox pelt Is
s1nonc the most valuable OF 1ui,s. nne specimens
fre9uentIy bringing $500 10 $500 while III several N
teaces as high as s. 900 Sl,24e has been paid
PRIMARILY a black pelt is quoted at $500 TO S2o
Norton had not been long IN the business MnSn
he made the important discovery that it Is possible
10 reproduce black and silver gray ioNes Na.ur4i,
lists say that these rare specimens are Simply
~ nature. being liable to appear among the com
NOR reds al any time while their progeny IS more
likely TO wear the pieoeian req coat Norton
has discovered however. that by inbreedlng it IS
snd rTdIce the genuine black variety He bought
a Chic black fox. paying sS'a for IT, and this ne
peo VIII . M ~ on 2hne IA he mas met
with fatterag success. and h. feels confident that
his success viii continue. Last year he sold pair
Of black foxes bred on his farm for 500. and now
has family OF four which he values at sl,gtt
The foxes FED with scraps of meat bread,
milk and the like. and are all in good health. In
summer time they need to be watered, but in win
Ter they Quench their thirst with SNOW. When Nor
wants 10 capture one OF his foxes he SIMPLY
pokes his hand down into buIrow. 10 which shell
they fee when any one approaches. and pulls
the animal cut much as one would take an apple
sut OF bag. All Of his thiTty-five foxes seem Ia
know him dogs know their master, and 1T FEED
ing time they froc about him like many kit
lens. The beauties Of the colony a pair OF twin
blacks now ten weeks old. coal black with the ex-
ception OF tft Of snowy white the tips OF their
rails, fat fluffy and playful kittens.