The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-10-12
Two Canadian Farmers Start
With Single Pair and Now
Raise Thousands.
RANCHES ARE WIRE CLOSED
Animals Like to Play and Do Not Mind
the Coolest Weather-FarminaN Not
Always Successful as Disease
Carries off Young.

Carries off Young.
MDn2ton, n. B.-Canada is the home
of the aristocratic black and silver
fox, the breeding Of these regal little
a....adls having become an ulluung
and lucrative industry in various parts
Of tl,is country. Ii is very doubtful If
California had anything on fox ranch
ing When, in 40, the blast OF her siren
call reaounded from coast to coast,
and men became goId-mud 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 Moucton. In
1913 the Colptts brothers, who then
were farmers living in a sparsely set
tied agricultural district, saw great
possibilities in fox ranches and used
to their advantage knowledge of the
habits of wild animals acquired in
hunting and trapping in earlier days.
Theirs was a modest venture Of a
single pair Of foxes, while today 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 300 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 frequent breeding being
not well authenticated. Litters of five,
six and even seven pups are not un-
common, although the usual number is
four and five.
Ranches Enclosed in Wire.
The modern fox ranch ut distance
resembles II wartime ENHANCEMENT, be-
ing built entirely Of heavy wire net
ting seven or eight feet high, with
an oyerhang to prevent the foxes from
making their escape into the open or
from getting from one to another. For
meily the ranches were inClosed by
high board 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 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 taken through the
ranches and into the pens right among
the foxes, The Colpitts ranch covers
several acres, the great Enclosure be-
ing divided into hundreds of pens, each
provided with a wooden box for shell
ter and breeding pen. The fox likes
the open 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
matter Of fact they appear TO enjoy
the extreme cold.
Care Of Mother Foxes.
1t Is only in the mating and puppng
season that the fox Is kept IN Sc
cluson and outsiders barred from the
ranches. DR.. f. A, 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
1t every day and shuts her In the house
every night. She becomes accustomed
to these visits and shows very little