The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-31
Crafts Plano Company No.
at 2O5 East Broad.
MAKES MILLION
RAISING FOXES.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND FAR1G.
Err DISCOVERS UNUSUAL
ROAD TO RICHES.

In the Interesting People" depart.
ment of the June American Magazine
appears IAN article about the Hon
Charles Dalton. of Prince Edward
Island, who heard that rare silver
black fox skins brought tremendous
prices in the London market and who
thereupon set out to breed them. Dali
ton is now immensely rich and Prince
Edward Island Is covered with FOX
ranches. Following is an extract from
the article:
The farmer, whose name W1A
Charles Dalton. had lived for forty
years a commonplace, monotoQ00m
sort Of life on the farm. He had b&oA
successful agriculturist. judged by't19
standards of his neighbors. Well-edt1@s
Gated, as are all the island farmerBS
he was a man who read good deal
and was conyersant with what was
Transporting in the outside world. He
knew how the markets ranged, studied
the fluctuations of prices and could tell
you the current quotations on grain
and produce in the leading markets
of the world. Incidentally among
other items of knowledge that found
Judgment in his brain was the fact
that silver black fox ckins were be-
ColllIlR eAtIsIiltiy SCdECe anu the VIlCO
for them was soaring.
"One day Dalton heard from q
friend that a litter of foxes had been
found by a sportsman in the neigh
borhood, among which were a cou-
pie of fine specimens of the silver va
riety. In itself this was a most un-
common occurrence and worthy Of
comment. but. though the whole
district was interested, Dalton was
the only one to whom the informa-
ton came as an inspiration. That
day the Dalton idea that spelled im-
mense riches was born.
ITO secure the litter. to hide II
away carefully in the woods near
his home and to buiId a small en-
closure which would Hold the little
animals in captivity was an easy task
And then began days OF earnest study
of the habits and needs OF the pris-
oners and of experiments In diet. He
imported other foxes and by degrees
learned how to breed the animals.
Constantly aiming TO secure a blacker
and blacker strain, his efforts were
finally crowned with success He OBJ
tained pure black specimens.
Then came the year, not so long
ago now, when the fox fancier ex.
pressed a parcel to London. It con-
tained the pelts of several foxes which
he had killed, and his object was to
test the fur market and see II those
fairy tales he had been reading about
the value of fox skins had any ele-
ment of truth in them.
"Auctioned on the London fur mar
ket, the Dalton skins brought several
hundred pounds apiece. Not for
long time had such fine skins been
offered. They were seized with avi-
dity and the fox breeder was informed
that there would be no difficulty in
disposing of any pelts he would Of
fer. The idea had In truth proved
to be a golden one.
Year by year Charles Dalton ship
ped his skins to England and year
by year they brought the top prices
at the London auctions. Money flowed
to him from over the sea, thousands
of pounds of it every winter, until
he suddenly found himself rich. Such
astonishing turn of fortune had never
before bben known on the island. IL
was almost magical in its sudden-
ness" x>sxa