The Cordova daily times., 1922-07-17
FUR FARMERS ARE ASSISTED
 BY UNCLESAM

captivity by farmers who understand the possibilities of the fur farming industry in the United States. The fur trade has developed extensively within the last 25 years, and in this period the United States has grown to be the largest fur market and fur consuming country iu the world. The fur farmer is one of the evidences of the expansion of the fur trade and one of the proofs of it's permanency. Re is a comparatively new entrant into the ranks of specialized farming but his problems are essentially the same as those of any other farmer production and marketing. In recog- milton of the importance of the in dustry the bureau of biological sur vey has established project which deals exclusively with fur farming. It furnishes information to prospec- tive breeders, as we'll as to those al vey has established a project which helps them to overcome obstacles and avoid pitfalls.
 In developing this line of work the survey is considering all of its vari- ous phases. Every encouragement is given to. .the enacement of such laws as will prove effective in the con- servation of ur-bearing animals bred in captivity never reach maturity, how to produce finest quality of fur these and many other questions are in process of being answered by study and investigations.
 Not all fur breeders can visit fur warehouses, manufacturing furriers, auction sales, and retail houses to obtain tirst-hand information on these phases of the industry, so rep resentatives of the biological survey do it for them and furnish them the information needed.
 For some time the survey has been trying to obtain reliable statistics on the subject. It is desirable to de- termine with reasonable accuracy the extent of fur farming and the annual kill of fur bearing animals. In an ef- fort to obtain these statistics, ques- tionaire is sent annually to persons engaged in raising fur bearing ami mals in the United States. Authentic inforation is difficult to obtain, be- cause many breedsr decline to fill out and return the blanks. Others give the information in such manner as to make it difficult of interpreta- tion. Such data can furnish at best only an approximation. Approximate statistics for 1921 indicate that there are about 500 fox farms in the Uni td States, on which are 12,000 to 15,- 900 animals. Other farms include skunks, raccoons, minks, possums, martens, muskrats, squirrels, and beavers.
 The farms are distributed through out California, Colorado, Idaho, Illi- nois, Indiana Iowa, Kansas, Maine, assachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Daakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Washington and Wiscon- sin.
 Practical studies of the fur farm CTS problems are being made at the departments fur farm at KeeseVille, N. Y. The production of fine quality of fur is essential. To obtain this fur farmers should have a knoWl- edge of species, proper sanitation' and diseases and parasites of their stock. These are the lines being de- veloped at the Keeseville farm. EX- periments have been made with feed ing, raising, and management, but the major part of the work consists of studying diseases and parasites The animals on the Keeseville farm are red and cross foxes, skunks, rac- 1 coons, martens and fishers.
 If this important industry is to continue on satisfactory basis, it will be necessary for the federal and state governments, associations in terested in conservation, and the full trade to do all in their power tc work together and solve the prob. lens regarding the source of supply
 Intelligent work and cooperation are necessary to retain permanently al species of fur bearers in sufficient numbers not to jeopardize the fur in,