The New York herald., 1922-09-17
Animals Like to Play and
Do Not Mind the Cold
est Weather.
OFTEN NURSED BY CATS
Farming Not Always Success
full as Disease Carries Off
Many Young.

SpecioI Dispatch to THE New YonK HERALD
MoNcToN, N. b., Sept. 9.-Canada
Is the home of the aristocratic black
and silver black fox, the breeding Of
these regal little animals having be-
come an alluring and lucrative indus
try In various parts Of this country.
1t Is very doubtful If California had
anything on fox ranching when, in
40. the blast of her siren call re-
sounded from coast to coast, and men
became gold mad in their frenzy to
get rich quick"
The province of New Brunswick
claims the honor Of possessing the
largest fox ranch in the world. This
ranch is situated on the Little River,
10 miles from the city of Moncton. In
1913 the Colpitts brothers-who then
were farmers living in q sparsely set
tied agricultural district-saw great
possibilities In fox ranching and used
to their advantage knowledge of the
habits of wild animals acquired In
hunting and trapping in earlier days.
Theirs was n modest venture of a
single pair of foxes. while to-day they
are the proud possessors OF more than
one thousand pups. apart from the old
ones numbering 600, thus placing this
ranch as the largest single ranch in the
world. 1t may be OF interest to follow
the evolution and workings of this ranch.
Besides the main Colpitts ranch, the
Little River Valley is dotted with
smaller ranches, in all of which they
have an interest. The largest OF these
smaller ranches Is the Anglo-American,
with about 400 foxes. All the foxes in
these ranches are of the silver black
strain and nearly all of them from the
original Colpitts pair. Foxes breed but
once year, reported cases of more fire.
Qrcnt breeding being not well authenti-
Gated. Litters of five. six and even
seven pups are not uncommon. although
the usual number Is four and five.
Ranches InclOsed In Wire.
The modern fox ranch at a distance
resembles a war time ENHANCEMENT, be-
ing built entirely of heavy wire netting,
seven or eight feet high with an over
hang to prevent the foxes from making
their escape into the open or from get
ting from one pen to another. Formerly
the ranches were inclosed by a high
hoard fence with wire inside to prevent
the foxes from burrowing holes and thus
making their escape. The idea was to
keep the foxes from view because of
their timid and suspicious nature.
The best ranches, however. have dis
carded the high board fence and visitors
are allowed not only to see from the out.
side but are taken through the ranches
and into the pens right among the foxes.
The Colpitts ranch covers several acres,
the great inclosure being divided into
hundreds of pens each provided with a
wooden box for shelter and a breeding
pen. The fox likes the open and plays
and runs about, climbing the wire net
ting and otherwise disporting himself
except in hot or wet weather, when he
sc eks shelter. They do not mind the
cold and with the temperature below
zero will remain out in the open with
out the slightest sign OF discomfort. As
q matter OF fact they appear to enjoy
the extreme cold.
Care of Mother Foxes.
II Is only In the mating and pupping
season that the fox Is kept in seclusion
and outsiders barred from the ranches.
DR.. +. A. Randall OF Truro, Nova Sco-
tia. an old fox farmer. says: After
foxes have mated and have been sep
arated the ranchman makes daily visits
to the female pen, opens 1t every day
and shuts her In the house every night
She becomes accustomed to these visits
and shows very little fear or nervous
ness. Pups are due in 81 or SO days
after mating. When the pups have ar
rived the female Is kept confined In the
breeding pen for three days, at the end
of which time she becomes attached to
4. and does not want to carry her pups
out.
'If for any reason the pups are not
thriving the female is examined and II
her milk has dried up. which sometimes
happens. the pups are taken away and
reared by cats, who do not In the
slightest object to such strange little
Kittens At the end OF the eighth
week the pups are taken from the
mother and placed in the pen by them
selves. to be fed sparingiy OF food, but
when six months old they will be taxi
Ing more food than the old foxes.
The feeding of the foxes is a very In
yeresting ana very essential part OF
ehcir care. The fox does not rank high
In an epicurean sense. He Is not at all
fastidious as to the quality OF his food
hut II Is regarded .ss essential to the
health OF the little animals that they
should have variety. In some cases
horse meat Is fed but beef Is preferred
The meat OF rabbits Is regarded as
delicacy and the ranchers buy up all
that can be obtained:"
The Colpitts ranch last winter paid
out more than $4,000 for rabbits snared
in this province. and also imported
several carloads from the West
part OF the fox ration IL a coarse bread
made OF cornmeal or -four and bran,
with a generous supply OF fat. The
refuse scraps from the biscuit factories
- rare delic.tcy and COW milk Is
ssv~n in generous quantities. The big
1s-Apitts ranch takes the milk of forty
sls~=st morning and night.
-..-~~ by Disease 10 Per Cent.
AG the foxes from the best ranches
~ Registered with the department at
'<lva. or course registration is no GER
Gain guaranty OF value. but no animal
cGn obtain advanced registration unless
b comes up to a certain standard. which
includes pedigree. formation and every
thing else that goes for breeding and
excellence. Not all who go into the
fox ranchlng business are successful.
The fox Is subject to many diseases. and
once these get a foothold II In difficult
TO eradicate them. Worms are one of
the principal causes OF mortality, and
tho loss OF 10 per cent. Of the pups Is
considered fair average. Instances
are known OF ranches being entirely
wiped out by disease As prec.,ution-
ary measure some Of the most success-
ful ranches dip their foxes twice year
into crcolin mixture.
It In rather painful to fmpart this