The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-06-04

ing, whereas, the marten and the mink require a. diet almost exclusive ly of meat. The problem of provid- Ing pens for rearing them is also less complicated in the case of the skunk.
 An tncIosure for skunks should occupy a we'll drained, sandy hillside, partly shaded by trees, and -partly open land covered with grasses. An acre will afford room for about 50 adult skunks. A 3-foot fence made of poultry netting and having an ov- erhanging barrier at the top is suffl- cient to conflne the animals. The wire should be of No. 16 gauge, and the netting of 1-inch mesh. This low fences however. is not sufncient to keep out dogs, unless the overhang Is very large and extends on both sides. Many breeders prefer a tight fence of boards or sheet iron or even a stone wall. The fence should pen citrate the ground to depth of or 3 feet to prevent the slxunks from dig ging under it.
 arate breeding pen for each female should be provided. Cheap boxes with wooden floors will serve every purpose, but they must be dry Inside. Contact with the soil improves the fur but danapness must be guarded against.
 E Meat, hsh. insects, bread, cooked and even raw vegetables, and ripe fruits are included in the great varie- ty Of foods which skunAs will eat Table scraps will keep the animals in good condition, and the food for a large skunk ranch may often belpro- cured from hotels when usually It will cost nothing but the labor of re- moving it. Especially to be recon- mended are cakes and mush made of corn meal and bits of meat fresh milk, cooked green corn and hominy lA AF1 kTat> ne f~n required for a cat will supply the wants of a skunk
 While sAkunks usually breed but once a year in captivity, occasionally a second litter is produced One male should be kept for from five to February or early March The youns. are usually born in May and are mature with prime fur in Decem- bex- Careful selection year by year will result in a better grade of fur and in three or four generations it is possible to secure a. strain of skunlzs the f1ra of which will all grade 'sNos 1~ A No fur will bring from $2 to ss.60 or more in the New York market
 As slxunks inhabit most parts of the United States. they may usually be obtained in the neighborhood where it ia desired to breed them. The best method Is to dig the young out of their dens in the summer. Addi- tional data of interest to tho skunk raiser may be had in the new bul1e- tin which gives diagrams to aid him in making an inclosure for the ani- maIs-
 Wud slEunks Trapped For Fur.
 Tn capturing the wiik skunk for it's fur. trapping is a. better method than. shooting, for shooting impairs the vslue of the fur and generally results in it's being de6led. Skunks are neither suspicious nor cunning and are easily trapped. They are often caught in unbaited traps placed in the paths they travel; yet the head of a fowl. a sparrow or a dead mouse makes an excellent bait Skunks when trapped do not often discharge their scent so as to defile the fur, but care is needed in removing them from the trap. The new bulletin goes into greater detail in describing skunk traps and how to remove the animals after they are caught.