Smyrna times., 1923-01-10
II|aRAT TRAPPERS GETTING
'fFlPlEXED OVER THE MARKET
- n OFF PAYING HIGH PRICES
p,rrr. AFTER BIG ST.LOUIS SALE
=, is What They Are Doing Over
~ ! Talbot County Maryland Near
Y Tr,.tOn-COnditiOns Same Here

Talbot County Maryland Near
Ir,.tOu-COnditiOns Same Here
While there has been lively fight
i y Smyrna between Michael Sklut
], : Harry Felintin over the buying
nnskrat hides, the market reach
,s high as $1.9O a pelt over on the
rs,sn Shore of Maryland buyers are
%tle bit slow in offering the high
sr,r and are showing some perplex-
mer the market condition. Buy
IN Talbot county are offering $1.5O
!, ,be very best hides and the others
!, bringing $1.25, at least that is
/. nrice offered. But the trappers,
!, whole arenot selling according to
!, Of the principal dealers, believing
| I'M the present prices are not in ac-
.,isuce with the market. While the
a Uermitted trapping and gigging
r;krats beginning with January l.,
A,p has not been seen in Easton a
rp,krat up to the present time. Here
| ubre the butchers and grocers have
ssn for sale, and people buy, them
r,dily and prepare them in many
,mes similar to terrapin.
waiting Tip on Big st. Louis Sale
The cause for this situation is the
MDOnement of the big sale in St.
| Euis in February until April. Here
1hre the February sale was a stand
| M governing the prices of hides, and
| ae tlappers and buyers easily adjust
d the standard to be paid for all
rsdes of hides by that sale. Now
that The sale has been postponed until
after the law stops the trapping the
isalss and trappers are at odds as
the prices. Talbot county has many
t0usands of dollars worth of muskrat
ids each season, but those caught at
be beginning are of inferior grades
j the rats are young and the fur not
hly matured. The largest sales made
Ire in former years has been in Feb
nary, when the hides were of greater
alue and the market stabilized. This
lar, however, this has all been chang
and the business has been thrown
"a purely speculative basis.
Big Marsh Rents for $500 Season
Only short time ago a marsh was
Eted for the three months of Janu-
y February and March for 5000
Aa'e renting the marsh figured on a
lgher price for hides than are quoted
II the catch this year equals that
sH year the tenants will still real
! some profit. Nearly 1900 musk
Is were trapped on this one marsh
= season, and brought good prices.
s main issue now is to adjust the
NeeS so that they will prove salts
as0V to both buyer and trapper
'Aen this is done it is believed the
aqperS will begin to sell their hides
= me business take on the aspect
i0mer years.
Sne Marylanders Buying Hides Here
mere are a number of valuable
ssneS In Talbot county, but the 10.
Ouyers do not depend entirely or
! county for their supply. Della.
ns and New Jersey are combed by
4 men for hides. They are taker
~ assorted and Grated, and shin.
. some of the largest dealers il
country. One excellent feature
@ wy Ine marshes is they seem to in.
.a'e IN production instead of dimin.
s' One marsh last year produc
A0asands of rats; a few years ago
1 'Uquced v scarcely any. Dealers sa,
I. maryland skins are more valuabl,
y y Delaware or New Jersey. The,
i. = /. second to the Middle West, wher,
7 'est fur is found.
HnerS Find Trapping Profitable
.ssn year the business grows
,ss.i 'iS hvlng along marsh land bu,
~ sonal traps each year and thu,
M NJ more Indeed many farmers d,
s,; use oil winter besides attendin,
sD,L sr milk dairies and catchin.
S,.. aN. It Is profitable to them an,
y, i !. visit them to buy skins. TIL,
y sold seasOnably.