Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-12-01
AN oDoRLEss SKUNK FARM.
How Two Yankees Raise the Animals
Probably.
New London, Conn, letter to the New
York Tribune.1


New London, Conn, letter to the Nav
York Tribune.l
Skunk farms there have been in numbers
, put II remained for two Connecticut Yam
KEGS to devise and conduct an odorless
SKUNK farm. The farm is in OuambauR
IN the village of Mystic, two miles from
the centre, on a rocky ledge of wooded
iand which isn't worth much for ordinary
farming purposes. Calvin Wilcox and
william Allen are the skunk farmers.
When they planned to go into the skunk
farming business, eight years ago, the
nelghbors round about became more or
less panic-stricken, for, though they had
no intimate acquaintance with the strong
scented creature of the night, they knew
more or less Of his capabilities to perfume
neighborhood on occasion. Some of the
citizens Of the old village came near ap-
peallng to the selectmen to prevent what
they surely belived would be the estab-
nshment OF nuisance, but the selectmen
We're wise in their day and generation,
ana said that the nuisance could be stop-
ped any time that 1t became ANNOYING.
Wilcox and Allen had insisted and arRu-
ed with their townspeople that they were
going to conduct an odorless skunk farm.
but naturally they could not induce any
one 70 take them seriously.
We'll, wait and see," thew said and
went about their business OF skunk farm
ing.
Recently the writer paid a visit to the
odorless skunk farm of Mystic. He had
his doubts about the truthfulness of the
part pertaining to the odor and took along
as precaution, cheap suit of clothes
consisting of a pair of Jumpers and a
Jacket, which cost 81 in the city Of New
London.
A constant smiling OF the crisp winter
air for the Sign" of skunk failed to locate
the direction Of the skunk farm, but in
"a hnNy
yoke OF oxen to the cider mill with a load
OF apples, elected the information that
cal Wilcox's skunkery is lest bout n
mile er so straight on ahead. It's a white
house on the left hand side Of the road,
settin' in yard full of rocks"
car Wilcox was not at home He and
his dog, Dick" the best skunk dog in
New-London County. were away working
on bridge and would not be back till
night. But Bill Allen, Gals" partner,
was about and he volunteered to show
the writer over the odorless skunk farm.
is 1t really odorless?" asked the writer.
Don't smell nothin', do yer" grinned
Allen, as he led the way across the road
into the rock lot, and over the ledge to a
little gully, down near the edge Of the
swamp.
Bet We won't know when we git to the
sl0unks," said Allen, as he looked back
over his shoulder and whistled for his
skunk dog, Barney" a shepherd half
brother to car Wilcox's dog, Dick"
Here we be- Smell anything?" asked
Allen.
Want to go IMP grInned bill" his
mouth opening wide, as he gave a huge
grunt of satisfaction at the writer's not
Knowing when he reached the skunkery.
Allen unlocked the paddock that ran
through hasp In the door to the skunk
building. The building was a wooden
structure facing to the southwest, about
eighteen feet long, eight feet wide, and
SIX feet high in 'front.' sloping to four and
a half feet In the rear. There was only
one window in the house, facing to the
front, through which the morning sun was
casting Its rays on the floor inside. The
hoor was Of boards and over the boards
was covering of leaves and dried grass
Take look in," said Allen. throwing
the door to the skunkery open invitingly
lnvoiuntarily, the writer stepped back a
few steps.
why. they won't hurt you. They're
asleep way over in the corner this time
o day. Take look" said Allen.
Edging his way shyly to the open door,
the writer took a peep into the skunk
house. Away over in one corner, huddled
into bunch, were half hundred skunks,
smuggling up as close to each other as
peas in pod, some partly covered with
leaves, and others almost concealed by
the bodies of their brother and sister
skunks. There were black skunks mere,
quarter stripes, half stripes and white
skunks. The little animals did not ap-
pear to be frightened at all. They poked
their pointed noses up in the air and
smiled contentedly, wondering why they
were being disturbed so early in the morn
ing, just at the hour when they were TAX
ing their beauty sleep.
why, them skunks are as harmless as
kitchen cats" said Allen. Step in and
git close look at them. Don't smell
nothin.' do ye?"
And there was no odor about, except
that rank animal smell peculiar to all
wild animals.
'Tll bring some of 'em out here where
We can get good look at EN-" suggested
Allen, but they don't like the sunlight
very good Night time is the time to see
'em. We let EN- out nights to run about
a little and then we feed 'em beef scraps
and old cast-off stun that amt any more
good for anything else. Why, they
scamper around like kittens and play Jest
like EN-"
Calling a country boy who had followed
to see what was going on, Allen told him
to hold a meal bag open at the door of
the skunkhouse.
Now I'll bring out five or six an put
'em In the bag and then let 'em loose in
the yard all to onct, SO We can see how
they act" said bill"
How in the world Allen was going to
get those five or six skunks into that meal
bag and then release them all together
In the little yard in front OF the house
without rousing the ire OF their skunk
ships to the odor degree the writer was
at loss to understand. and he backed