The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-10-12
Big Profit in
Silver Foxes

fear or nervousness. Pups are due in
81 or 50 days after mating When the
pups have arrived the female is kept
confined in the breeding pen for three
days, at the end of which time she be-
comes attached to it and does not
want to carry her pups out.
IF for any reason the pups are not
thriving the female is examined and
if her milk has dried up, which some
times 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 TAX
ing more food than the Old foxes.
"The feeding Of the foxes is very
interesting and essential part of their
care. The fox does not rank high
in an epicurean sense He is not at
all fastidious as to the quality of his
food but it is regarded as essential
to the health of the little animals
that they should have -ariety. In
some cases horse meat IS fed but beef
is preferred. The meat of rabbits is
regarded MS q delicacy and the ranch
ers buy up All that can be obtained"
The CoIpitts ranch last winter paid
out more than $4,000 for rabbits shared
IN this province, and also imported
several carloads from the West. A
part of the fox ration is a coarse
bread made Of cornmeal or flour and
bran. with a generous supply of fat
The refuse scraps from the biscuit
factories are a rare delicacy and COW
milk is given in generous quantities.
The big Colpitts ranch takes the
milk of forty COWS morning and night.
Loss by Disease 10 Per Cent.
All the foxes from the best ranches
are registered with the department at
Ottawa. OF course, registration is no
certain guaranty of value, but no ami
NAL can obtain advanced registration
unless ii comes up to a certain stand
ard which includes pedigree, forma-
ton and everything else that goes for
breeding and excellence. Not all who
90 into the fox ranching business are
successful. The fox is subject to
many diseases, and once these get a
fuothold it is difficult to eradicate
them. Worms are one Of the princi-
pal causes of mortality and the loss
Of 10 per cent of the pups is consid-
cred n tair average. Instances are
known of ranches being entirely
wiped out by disease. AS Il precau-
tionary measure some of the most
successful ranches dip their foxes
twice year into cresolin mixture.
II is rather painful to impart this
item Of information, for it Is not
generally known that these little foxes
are not unlike some folk who 90
through life clothed in purple and fine
linen, using their gorgeous attire tc
cover many sins. Thus do these wee
potentates get by bissfully uncon-
scious of their natural aroma-which
one cannot really compare to a peach
garden.
Silver Strain Developed.
The origin of the silver black fox is
somewhat obscure. A Mr. Oulton.
pioneer in fur farming In New Bruins
wick, says the original black foxes
came from Newfoundland but the sill
yer strain has been a development in
breeding The native fox Of New
Brunswick is red ana the fur of little
value.
The fox is a small animal of the
eat species and in size between cat
and a small dog, When fully furred
out, as in the winter season, it ap.
pears much larger. This little ami.
NAL Is seen at its worst at this sea.
son, and Is rather lean and lanky
looking. The silver streaks are Just
now beginning to appear, coming first
in the forehead and gradually spread
ing over the body BY December the
fur Will be thick and heavy, and II IS
then those animals which do not
prove satisfactory breeders are "pelt-
ed for market, The fox Is very
cute looking little animal, though net
as shapely as the skunk. TimiGity
and suspicion are It's chief character
lstlcs, and II is not at all vicious, be-
ing handled with ease. Few of them
become tame, although when the New