The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-13
THE SKUNK WORTH HAVING,
SO Says A NOTED EXPERT
In Virginia May BE
Valuable.
ruRs THAT BRING BIG MONEY
The Old Virginia Polecat Regarded
rs % Valuable AnimaI-May Be-
come n Big Industrial Proposition,
Who Knows?

II will probably he something new
10 the Virginian conception or tho
eternal fitness Of things that pole
cat or moro properly and more strik
ingly speaking. skunk. can be made
an industrial proposition. and yet II
is II fact that ono OF tho most valuable
",arniints" that wanders through tho
awsmps and fields and forests OF old
Virginia is the pole cat or skunk, as
the sinking beast is called in the
Middle Wrst
Professor n Y Lantz. Of illinoie.
writes me skunk story that may be
worthy OF tho consideration OF those
Of tho Virginia farmers who have
houaed their crops and have timo dur
,ns the fall and winter to go q trap.
ping for skunks, and out OF tho con
sidcration new industry may spring
up that will be OF profit.
Professor LantE says more than A
dozen States now have laws protecting
skunks hy = closed season These laws
were passed I'm response to tho wishes
OF farmers who recognize the useful
ness OF these animals In destroying
no1ious insects. md 10 the demands
OF persons Interested in conserving tho
understanding OF The economic value
% these creatures would no doubt re-
suit In protective measures in ALI tho
States.
CROPS OF FUR ANIMALS GROWING
SHORT IN THIS COUNTRY
The three fur animals, still fairly
abundant IN the United Statcs are IN"
Inuskrat, the mink and tho skunk OF
these the muskrat Is most likely TO
retain its numbers. since 1t multi
ftE, =.
j. in no danger OF extinction except
wherc swsmps are drained for arii-
culture. The mink breeds but once
" wear, and close trapping has already
made II scarce over vide areas. The
"kunk. although not yet in danger
more closely trapped. AZ It's pclt has
great intrinsic value, and the demand
FOR II has not set fully developed.
Within a few years the prices OF this
lur ~il probably be more than doubled.
While the skunk feeds mainly upon
insects. It's economic status cannot he
rN.d h. this habit alone. Sot all in
i,ects arc Injurious, as certain kinds
themselves feed upon injurious species
and are highly beneficial. Tho skunk
ie ono OF tn, most important mann
mails in It's choice OF harmful insects
for It's die, II s tn best known mann
NAL cnem! OF army worms. Tho com
lnon army worm, the wheat head army
worm. and the raj! army worm are all
Ncry destructive to small grains, corn
and grasses, and their lnvasions .Irtaii
heavy losses among farmers. The
IVod work % skunks IN destroying
army worms has frequcnu; been no
ticed. These animals arc also fond ~
tobacco worms. Two species pf these
larvae very destructive 10 tobacco and
tomato plants are the Southern to-
bacco worm and the Northern tobacco
worm Both species occur over wide
AREAS IN tho United states. ana IN sec
it@ns where no tobacco is grown they
r""d upon tomato and potato plants.
" hilc the worms arc active, siluuks
Eathct them from the plants. ana when
the worms Eo into the ground in tho
!nlter part al summer. the animals dix
out pupac IN great numbers SlSunhs
are also very fond OF white Rrubs. and
spend much time digging for them
As white Erubs commonly remain In
tho ground three Yeas before cineTe-
ing mature beetles. each in this
tm~ can deatroy much vegetation