Milford chronicle., 1924-06-06
FUR DEMAND MAKES
MARSHES PROFITABLE

The~fur of the muskrat has increas
ed so greatly in value because of the
growing demand for it, that thousands
of acres of marsh land, formerly held
as of no value, have now been turned
into muskrat farms, and are yielding
their owners a greater return than
any other section of more fertile farm
land A bulletin issued by the United
States Department of Agriculture
saws that n,uskrat farming is now a
prosperous business, and then it ap-
parently proves this statement by
saying:
"On 5000 acres of marsh at the
mouth of the Maumee River, near
Lake Erie, controlled by a hunting
club of Toledo, Ohio, the muskrats
had been undisturbed for two years
prior to the winter of 1904, when
they were trapped for the benefit of
the club. Five thousand were taken in
a single month (January, 1900, and
the skins were sold for 25 cents each.
The carcasses also were sold at 81 a
Dozen"
This yield, of course, came without
E effort of any kind and without any
sacrifice of time. The story is told to
show what prfit can come from the
little animals to the end that farmers
may reap profit from otherwise use
Less land. Another paragraph from
the bulletin of the department reads:
1T has been proved by experiments
with muskrats in captivity that the
animals are easily kept, become very
tame and breed in very narrow quar-
ters. Carefully guarded preserves will
WELD steady and profitable returns.
All that is needed is care not to de-
plete the fur supply by too close trap
ping"
Farmers in many sections of the
country, it is said, are raising musk
rats, but the industry, it is reported,
has probably reached its highest de-
velopment on the Eastern Shore OF
Maryland Then the bulletin reads:
The extensive marshes of Dorches-
ter Count yare a centre of muskrat
fur production. Formerly the land was
considered almost useless, as it is
subject to tidal overflow. Now, owing
TO the increased value of fur, many OF
the marshes, measured by actual in
come, are worth more than cultivated
lands in the same vicinity. Trapping
privileges are leased, usually on the
half-and-half plan, and trappers and !
owners unite to protect the marshes !
from pOaching.
"a few specific examples will give
a better idea of the value of these
marsh lands. Several years ago
tract was bought for $2,7O0. 1t was
leased for half the fur and in 1909
Welded the owner $500, or about SO
per cent on the investment"
Another case cited is to the effect
that about forty acres of marsh land
bought in 1905 for $3.50 has been
Welding an average of $40 an acre to
he owner, who has leased the tracts
lor half the yield of fur. The taxes, II
S explained, are very light, so that
he returns almost represent net ear
lings. The owner of a 130O-acre tract
If marsh, who traps with the aid of
lis son, according to the bulletin, OBJ {
aimed in 1909 and 1910 more than 12,-
100 muskrats, which sold for more {
han $4,000. Other parts of the bulle- {
in read:
"Muskrats require no feeding, since {
he plant life of ponds and marshes i
furnishes abundance of food. In many t
tates the areas adapted to the musk
at are extensive, and doubtless suit L
BILE areas could be found in sections F
-om which muskrats are now absent. a
s trapping~is done in winter, the l,
usiness of muskrat farming is es-
ecially adapted to farmers and farm fl
rs boys. p
"The improvement of the muskrat's
elage nv selectiVe breeding has neV- b
r been attempted. Probably the o
lack muskrat could be bred true to
1lOr and greatly improved in the To- B
llities it now inhabits, and could be
Itroduced successfully into other O
,ctions of the country. Indeed, to NJ
axe the most of the muskrat indus
v REQUIRES that the possibilities of Ii
elective breeding be tested" ri
After stating that the destructive M
lbits of the muskrat make him nui- G
nee in only a few localities, the bull
tin states: h;
MAN is by no means the only de- Ii
rover of the muskrats. Among its al
ltural enemies are the coyote, fox, Vi
ink, the larger hawks and owls and
e pickerel But all of these enemies ia
gether do not greatly affect It's num- tit
rs. The proposed reclamation OF
7amps and marsh lands throughout in
e country, if carried out, will great
reduce the number of muskrats by to-
their habitat, and If the
pply of this fur is to be maintained an
must be through protection and
entually through private owner Hs
p,"-Sunday Star. in