Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-09-09
FARMING
GROWS IMPORTANT
FUR FARMS ESTABLISHED AT SEVEN
POINTS IN MONTANA; INDUS
TRY WILL EXPAND

Montana Is certain to become a far
tor In muskrat fur farming, In the
opinion of L.. M. Bussey of Minneapolis,
who is spending some time In the state.
Mr.. Bussey is connected with the
Crown Iron works OF Minneapolis and
his company manufactures a wire
fencing which muskrat breeders a
use OF, which puts him In close touch
with this new activity. He states hat
muskrat farms have been established
in K%alispell, Whitefish, Deer Lodge,
swan Lake, Columbus, Hamilton and
Great Falls, with more in prospect.
Where the business of breeding musk
rats has been established 1t is flourish
ing.
1t Is only a question of a short time
until all available marshes which are
suitable for. the farming Of muskrate
Will be converted into muskrat farms,
says MIR. Bussey. This is being brought
about by the ever increasing demand for
the muskrat pelt which is the backbone
Of the fur industry. The high price of
the pelt has encouraged excessive trap
ping. The western states have been slow
to appreciate the wonderful possibilities
Of muskrat farming. A number Of enter
prises, however, are now developing in
western Canada, Idaho, Colorado and
Montana.
Avail. &AOcoI oJaLCc Jlldt 10 AllOlllllo dkO
the Northwest Fur company Of Idaho in
closed its marsh OF 100 acres n put
into this marsh 800 pairs of muskrata
and they now a approximately 60, 600
muskrats, or in other words they have
70 muskrats now for every muskrat put
on their ranch The raising of fur-bear-
ing animals is an industry that has come
to stay, as the demand for fur is increas-
ing. Those closely in touch with the
situation state that in the last five years
the supply Of wild fur has decreased sc
per cent
Not many years ago no one thought OF
the muskrat as a source of farm income:
they were looked upon more as enemies
to the farms and were driven out OF
ditch banks and sloughs. But years OF
labor on the part of far sighted indiyidu-
ais who have consistently and enthusi-
astically advocated muskrat farming is
at last bearing fruit. Tit germ Of the
industry. long dormant, has had a sud-
den mushroom-like growth which has
startled even it's staunchest supporters.
Muskrat fur is greatly improved wher
1t is raised in semi-domestication. The
animal gains in size and the fur thickens
and becomes glossy.
The muskrat is q most prolific breeder
having been known to have from three
to five litters Of young in a season. TIT
first litter is also known to build homes
and raise a family that same year, sc
that one pair of muskrats may have
from Is to so young muskrats in one
season. Mr.. Bussey states that the Mt
Forest Muskrat farm has six thousand
two hundred pens Of muskrats and tina,
their average for this amount of pen
was 80 young to each female, and in {
number Of cases a female produced over
so offspring. MIR. Bussey stated thai
lGKSa npltQ are 0nlU prfr,a "
February and March, n that there
is more poor muskrat fur on the
market than any other fur for the reason
that it is trapped out of season. Onl,
when the muskrat is raised in semi-do.
m~estication, we'll fed and trapped In sea.
son will the muskrat fur come into it.
own.