The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-15
BERWICK man HAS
fine Mink FARM
Nj. J. D. Ehr|ich Making In
teresting Experiments
Other News Notes

Mr.. j. D. Ehrlich, manager Of the
Berwick Mercantile Co. has the dis
tinction Of being the only mink"
farmer in this section of Louisiana.
He has been in the business for near
ly four years, beginning in May,
1913 as a sort Of experiment.
His farm is located in the rear of
his home on two lots that also serve
as garden, as minks do not disturbe
vegetation. The ground is fenced
with fence that goes 1-2 feet in
to the ground and feet above with
belt Of iron "a inches wide around
the top.
Mr.. Enrich started out in a
modest way with minks, 3 males
and two females. They were bought
from trappers and were very young
and were very small measuring only
about 8 inches in length. Later he
added another lot of ten and with the
increase, Mr.. Enrich has now be-
tween IS and 100 fine specimens,
despite the fact that he had the mis-:
fortune of losing 48 in 2 days caus-
ed from feeding them Sea Cat,
which does not agree with Mink.
Mr.. Enrich says that he has re-
peatedly written the department at
Washington for information as to
the raising of mink, but that thus
far he has not been able to get any
intelligent information on the sub
ject. He says however that the de-
partment has promised to get ont a
booklet on the subject.
Mink mate from Jan. Is to Febru- |
airy l, as rule and give birth to their
youngs from March up to the last Of |
April There are generally from
to 9 in litter. They are very
healthy animals and mature in one
year. About 4 weeks after they are
born before their eyes open. Mr..
Enrich feeds then with fish refuse
gathered from the fish wharves, thus
his feed costs him nothing, as the
ground is also used for garden pur-
poses. It takes about 20 lbs of fish
refuse each day to feed all Of the I
animals. In good season the hides
are worth from $500 to $3.50 each, t
and considering the fact that it
takes but one year to raise them and
that the feed costs nothing, Mr..
Ehrlich is Of the opinion that the
proposition could be made to pay, as /,
be says the time is coming when
furs will be mighty scarce, as the
Fur bearing land will all be cleared,
Ind the only furs to be had then will
,e those that are raised. I,
To take Of the water proposition,
dr. Enrich has = concrete vat which
8 filled daily in the summer and ,
very other day in the winter. He !.
ays that mink are all alike, and that !.
When you see hundred Of them .
1ou don't know if you have seen that
many, or seen the same one hundred
ines. They are not handled at any
ime, because of the fact that they Z
re a specie of the skunk family, !
which speaks for itself. IS
Mr.. Enrich has received a number !
+ inquiries from geological gardens
throughout the country, and recent !
y sold few to a man in Mobile,
lla., who is interested in the raising !
f skunk.
Miss Leah Forth spent Saturday !
a Patterson in the interests Of her
in the Review Automobile :
ontest.
Mrs. Angelica Of Morgan City was
A Berwick and Patterson Saturday,
Miss Alma Hanson spent Saturday
4 Patterson. ;
Many kind words have been heard )
the prompt delivery Of
he Review since the carrier service
- ins&itnted for Berwick. e