The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-08-07
FOX RAISING RANCH
Old BOrestOne Is Famous Beauty SpO

mountain valley OF rugged beauty. AS
the mountain stands In solitary grand
eur apart from its main chain, twenty
five hundred feet In height, 1t can
be seen a distance of fifty miles. and
its peculiar top had been landmark
for over a century. The bottom of
this mountain valley or gap is occu-
pied by three ponds of crystal clear
ness and great depth.
1t was between two OF these lakes
that a naturalist, Robert T. Moore,
located a summer home about four
teen years ago. For several years he
made an investigation Of these ma
tural conditions which produce the
best foxes And so, having become
convinced that conditions on this
mountain $500 feet above sea level,
were unique, he began to purchase
the best foxes that money could buy.
And as a result he has today on the
shores OF these ponds some of the
finest black foxes in existence, and
ranch that is different from any
other in the world. He purchased the
whole of Borestone mountain a total
of some 1400 acres, so that he now
controls a mountain denizen where
every possible condition for the
successful breeding of foxes has been
secured.
Thirty miles over good roads from
Dexter, takes one to Borestone noun
tain and the fox ranch. The highway
leads up the side of the mountain in
serpentine route to the gates OF the
Moore estate. Here you find the fox
farm, amidst all the grandeur and
Of
which one has an unsurpassed view of
the forest wilderness of Maine.
Although Mr. Moore is making
financial success OF this undertaking
his main purpose has been a scien-
tific one, for he Is by nature and
qualifications a student of animal be
havior and has been the editor OF
well-known scientific magazine, de-
voted to the study of animal life.
The most modern records are kept of
the behavior of the animals under all
conditions and the result Of feeding
breeding and mental traits are care
fully tabulated. His chief aim is to
solve many of the as yet unsolved
problems of fox preceding.
The immediate site of the ranch
has been chosen with great care and
possess every possible desirability for
fox breeding that can be suggested.
In fact, as one of the great fox
experts said after inspecting the
ranch: Nature seems to have fore
ordained this spot for the express
purpose of breeding foxes, from the
natural water supply to the precip-
tious cliff. the top of which support
the fox keepers house"
To begin with, the ranch is situat-
ed at such an altitude that certain
species of its plant life belong to the
Hudsonian Flora, which means that
climatic conditions of this mountain
are more northern in character than
those of Nova Scotia and New Bruins
wick. Fall comes very early and the
summers are Short and extremely
cool. AS a result the foxes fur out
very early and unusually early mate
ings are to be expected.
Situated in the center OF a large
estate. in the heart of Names vast
forest the solitude is absolute. There
is not the slightest danger OF distur-
bance during the mateng season from
man or dog. This. the bane of every
fox keeper. is entirely removed. For
of theft. However, the owner is not
taking any chance and has furnished
his ranch with all modern precau-
| tons, such as dogs, burglar alarms
and electric lights The latter, it is
understood, is supplied by power from
the ponds outlet stream, which
washes down over the mountain side
near the ranch.
The greatest safeguard against
thieves lies in the position of the
keepers house Placed on the top of
the cliff. it allows the keeper to look
down from his bedroom into every
pen and detect the presence of prowl-
ing humans. The pens themselves
are some hundred feet lower than the
house. AS a fox keeper of many
years experience has said, this one
feature has solved the greatest prob
lem of fox ranching-to provide an
inexpensive observatory to which the
fox keeper can get without being
seen, heard or scented by the foxes.
The keeper climbs up the back side
of the cliff and, as his scent is carried
up and over the ranch. the foxes do
not get the slightest Whit of him.
BY experiment it has been proved
that even a stranger can be led to
this house and observe the foxes,
without their being conscious of his
presence. All unpleasantness of
watching the foxes during cold
weather has been entirely removed.
The keeper can sit in an easy chair
beside his fire and yet look down
night and day into every pen on the
ranch. At the same time he gets a
marvellous sview of rugged mountain
scenery, cliffs and oaks and primeval
forest.
Despite this absolute solitude and
its removal by nine miles from the
nearest village, this ranch is nearer
to the advantage of civilization than
ninety-five per cent Of the fox ranch
es in existence. The main line Of the
Canadian Pacific Railway runs by
the foot of the mountain. To its
station, only one mile away, an auto
mobile road has been built. and an
auto truck, kept by the owner, covers
the ascent in seven minutes. Long
distance telephone and telegraph con-
meet the superintendent house with
sources of supply. Indeed, most of
the food supplies have been secured
from the ranch itself. The owner has