Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-15

specimens OF American moles TO inc Lon
don companies. asking for a report on
their texture and quality. The answer
came that nothing was the matter WITH
tho skin. it was the price asked that did
not suit
Moics. as is Well known. bore vnGar the
ground and have TO he caught IN traps
inserted under the surface of the felGs
and meadows where they are souad.
They are hardly larger than mice. ene
.or this reason the furriers. when max
zig a draped coat. allow about a month
=, be devoted TO sewing the little skins
.sgether-
From the animal commonly known as
skunk comes one of the handsomest ana
most durable OF medium-priced fnre. II
rnasouerades under the name Of Alaskan
sable. black marten and civet cat. a
spotted black and white species. half the
employed in the manufacture Of garments
OF so-cailed ciret cat. while tas iarSt
variety. with three distinctly 5iffercas
sets of markings. is used for the produc-
ton OF natural skunk.
solid black skunk peit. with no whit
at the back OF the head. is the most
valuable. Next in preference comes the
short striped skin. which has a narrow
white line down the middle OF the back.
and least to be desired ~ all IS the
hroad-striped skunk. with one or rnore
wide. white stripes running from head
to tail.
The dyers and dressers have found
no way to dye the white markings ST.
as to match the rest OF the black hairs
in the skin. So these stripes have 20 be
cut out and scanned on the urderstde 10
give the appearance Of an entire black
skin. When the white stripes are yer,
wide so little of the pelt remains aft
err the cuts are made that IT is not
profitable to use them. Fo- this rea-
son the black and white skins lag at
the end Of the price list
Skunk is as easily bred in caouvie.
as a house cat 1t almost taNes care
Of itself; selects some hole on a hill
side, or perhaps appropriates some
abandoned muskrat hole for its own
and as long as It is provided with food
IL is easily managed From a fur shat
fifty years ago sold at the rate Of
rs cents skin. fl has risen to one
of the foremost ranks of the trade to-
day.
Similar in appearance to that of the
skunk, but very much softer finer and
longer. Is the pelt of the lynx MOI
many people are aware. however. tina,
the lynx is not naturally a black
skinned animal Seen in the forests IL
resembles great tiger cat and may
be Hkened to the ordinary hobcat SO
plentiful In the northern states Ths
fur of the northern animal IL taken ia
the winter is so long and silky that
II futters with every breath of air
When dyed and dressed 1t is beautiful
enough to keep the lynx upon the pin
nacie of popularity As to how long
only answer that the trapping OF lynx
will no doubt end eventually in the
same manner as that of sable or chin
chilla
Despite past rumors of the danger
Gus condition of the seal industry, the
latest reports from Pribilof Islands
tell that the haul was never so great
as recently. Inasmuch one bull seal
chooses any number of mates in
season. great number OF the male
pups born are superfluous. III these
can be killed before they have fought
enough to rend or tear their coats
they are considered very valuable. Like
lynx, sealskin must be dyed before il
is made into a garment. Natural seal
has dirty mud-color that would never
please milady. Therefore, ingenious
dyers make it up into a lustrol: black
and forthwith it becomes a favorite
Census figures. comparing the value OF
skins exported twenty years ago from
America with those sent abroad last year
Show in that time an increase of S., 500
900. Now. this does not mean that our
sealers have lately killed many more
seals. but that the value Of those killed
has been much greater.
Such furs as muskrat, opossum and
raccoon are extensively used in im.,a-
ton of the expensive varieties of seal an.
they have been one factor serving to In
crease the general export figures BY thu.
new tariff regulations all raw, undressea
hides are entered free. but the slightes,
sewing on the flesh side serves to rele-
gate them to the dutiable list. These
regulations are further incentive to IN.
building UP In America of an important
fur dressing and dyeing business.
AT present the finest work of this sort
is done in France and Germany This
dressing process is an intricate one AM
description of IL would be too technical
and tiresome to be of interest Repeatc,
soakings. tannings, dryings and greasines
are applied until the pets are soft ana
pllable. Then they are revolved in drum,
hlled with sawdust finally to clean them
After many brushings and combines tl,a
SKINS are SO supple that they cut easily
and drape gracefully. Then the earne,tt
maker takes them in hand and me new
models of the Paris and Vienna dress.
makers are followed as near., as t.ossi-
BILE f'Hi
Each year new muff shapes and Goa.
styles are introduced. With the addition,
OF chlfon folds, brocade Innings and cord
trimmings the change from raw animal
10 serviceaole garment is completed.