The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-04-28
CHINCHILLA FARM
is NEW INDUSTRY
VALUABLE FUR ANIMALS OF
THE ANDES TO BE DOMES-
TICATED AT MISSOULA
Montana Ma Who Has Spent Several
Years in South America VIII Start
First Breeding Establishment for
These Little Animals in the
World.

A chinchilla farm, the first in the
world, is to be established here and
40 of these little rodents of the Andes
will be obtained as the nucleus, ac-
cording to plans announced by T. M.
Hamilton of Lewistown and w. C.
Capper of Anaconda. The fur of
these animals is extremely valuable.
Hamilton, who spent several years
in Chine and Peru with the Anacon-
da Copper Mining company, is con
cessfully in Montana.
THE chinchilla resembles the
Montana prairie dog in size," said
Hamilton. "They are found in the
main range of the Andes. They are
of three classes, the chinchilla-real,
the c~hinchilla cordillana or plateado,
and the bastard chinchilla. The
first two classes are not found below
an altitude of 5000 feet, preferring
to dwell at an elevation of $4,000 Or
10000 feet. The bastard ~chinchilla,
an inferior grade, is found along the
sea shores, but is not sought after to
any extent by fur fanciers.
'The chinchilla-real breeds twice a
year. Their offspring is about half
the size of a mouse. They easily be-
come domesticated and make great
pets. In their native haunts they
subsist on what is known as chin
chilla grass, but when domesticated
eat alfalfa, lettuce, carrots, cabbage
and are very fond of apples. 1t has
been said that they do not require
water, but this is an idea.
They take water in exceedingly small
quantities. The heavy dew in the
mountains is sufficient for their wa
ter supply. The natives, however,
claim they do not use water.
"It is hard to place a value at the
present time on pelts. Before the
war 1 sold several for SIS each, but
they now command prices ranging
from 500 to SITS and up.
"These furs were much sought
after by the wealthy in South Amer
lea. While there l saw a coat which
was valued at a hundred thousand
dollars. 1 bought a coat at one time
myself. 1t was a short length coat
and cost $500. The average coat re-
luires 270 skins and is valued at
100000. Strange as it may seem,
.hese garments are purchased by the
nIll1ona1reS in that country and else
where. Owing to the rarity of the
it is in great demand in all fur
markets.
ut is the plan of the fur farm to
'egister their animals. By careful
breeding the rodents attain a much
size than in their native
Hamilton feels confident that the
hinchilla can be raised to advantage
n Montana and feels that Missoula
an ideal location for an enterprise
# this kind. with the establish
nent of this enterprise it will GER
ainly put Montana on the map in the
ur business. =
ga pelt of the chinchilla is from
tx to sever inches in length and four
D five inches in breadth. They have
rare beauty. The first grade chin
hilla have large ears and a short
ushy tail; the second grade are just
ne reverse, with small ears and a
ong bushy tail. This distinction aids
Ut buyers in purchasing the pelts,
it is ofttimes difficult to distin-
uish between the two grades, al
lough experts maintain there is a
considerable difference in the quality
f the pelts."