The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-11-03
Two Canadian Farmers Start
With Single Pair and Now
Raise Thousands.
RANCHES ARE WIRE CLOSED
Animals Like to Play and Do Not Mind
the coldest Weather--Farm Not
Always Successful as Disease
Carries Off Young.

Moncton, N. B.-Canuda Is the home
OF the aristocratic black and silver
fox, the breeding OF these regal little
a........ls having become an alluring
Of this country. 1t Is very doubtful IL
California had anything on fox ranch
ing when, In 40. the blast Of her siren
call resOunded 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 sparsely set
tied agricultural district. saw great
possibilities In fox ranches and used
10 their advantage knowledge Of the
habits Of wild animals acquired In
hunting and trapping In earlier days.
Theirs was q modest venture OF q
single pair Of foxes, while today they
are .hs proud possessors Of more than
one thousand pups, apart from the old
ones numbering 200, thus placing this
ranch ~ the largest single ranch In
the wsrld- 1t may be Of interest to
follow tho 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 300 foxes. All
the fs1es In these ranches are Of the
silver black strain and nearly all Of
them from .he original Colpitts pair.
Foxes breed but once year, reported
cases Of more frequent breeding being
not well authenticated. Litters Of i've,
six and sven seven pups are not un-
common. although the usual number Is
four and tve.
Ranches inolossd In Wire.
The modern fox ranch at a distance
resembles a wartime ENHANCEMENT, be-
ing built entirely Of heavy wire net
ting. seven or eight feet high. with
an ovsrhang to prevent the foxes from
making their escape Into the open or
from getting from one to another. For.
merly the ranches were incl0sed by q
high board fence with wire inside to
prevent the foxes from burrowing
holes apd thus making their escape.
The idea was to keep the foxes from
Wow because Of their timid and sus-
picious nature.
The best ranches. however, have dis
carded the high board fence and Wis
itors are allowed not only to see from
the outside but are tnken through tho
ranches and into the pens right among
the foxes. The Colpitts ranch covers
sevsral acres, the great inclosure be-
Ing divided into hundreds of pens, each
provided with a wooden box for shell
ter and breeding pen. The fox likes
the opsn and plays and runs about, |
climbing the wire netting and other
Wise disporting himself, except in hot
or wet weather. when he seeks shell |
ter. They do not mind the cold and
with the temperature below zero will
remain out In the open without the
slightest sign of discomfort. As Q |
matter Of fact they appear to enjoy
the extreme cold.
Care Of Mother Foxes.
II h only In the mating and pupping |
season that the fox Ii kept In &c
clusion and outsiders barred from the
ranches DR.. EoA. Randall Of Truro.
Nova Scotia. an old fox farmer. says: |
After foxes have mated and have
been separated the ranchman makes
daily visits to the female pen, opens |
4 every day and shuts her In the house |
svsry night She becomes accustomed |
b these visits and shows vsu little