The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1928-08-23
FUR FARMERS TO
EXHIBIT AT STATE
FAIR THIS YEAR

approximately so silver black
foxes, number of blue foxes and
mink will be exhibited by the Mon
tana Fox and Fur Breeders association
at the State fair during the week Of
Sept. "a to Is, Secretary A. D
Thomas announced after a recent con
ference with Paul e. Haines, presi-
dent of the association.
The foxes will probably be brought
to the fair from about 10 of the larger
fox farms in the state. The domes-
ticating of fur bearing animals for
purposes Of trade is a comparatively
new industry in Montana, but has ex-
perienoed rapid growth in the last few
years. There are at present 40 ex-
tensiYe fox breeders in the state and
approximately 60 breeders of foxes
and other fur bearing animals. Three
years ago only Al licenses for fur
farms were issued by the state fish
and game department, while in 1927,
100 such licenses We're issued.
The fox and fur exhibit will be
placed in separate building located
in the rear of the poultry barns. New
cages and other necessary equipment
nave been ordered by the fair manage
nent for the exhibition which will be
the largest and most complete of it's
kind ever held anywhere in the state.
The Montana Fox and Fur Breeders
association will hold their next meet
ing at the Florence hotel, Missoula,
Aug. % and %, at which time plans
for the exhibit to be placed at the
State fair this fall will be completed.
The organization was founded for the
purpose of aiding fur farmers in the
state through the distribution of
knowledge as to correct methods of
fur production and through co-opera-
tive marketing and, in placing the
exhibit at the fair, the association
hopes to bring before the public the
growing Importance of the industry
and the particular suitability of Mon
tana's climate, as well as other con-
ditions, to successful fur farming.
Although the industry in Montana
is still in it's infancy, fur farmers
within the state produce annually
over 100000 according to Mr.. Haines,
president of the recently organized
state association, who has charge of
the plans for the fox and fur exhibit
at the 1928 State fair. Because Of her
cold climate, short summers and ex-
tensive forest reserve areas, Montana
is especially suited to domestic fur
farming and should, Mr.. Haines be-
lieves, with proper encouragement and
correct methods of production, within
a few years rank as one of the lead
ing states in fur production, eventually
producing 10 per cent of the entire
fur output of the United States.
Thirty-seven of the Sc counties in
the state now have fur farms. Flat
head leads with Is, Yellowstone fol-
lowing with Z; Lake, 6; Carbon and
Gallatin, 5 each, 1t is estimated that
production on fur farm near Swan
Lake, where five acres have been
IeiCeu ana approximately 1UO expert
mental pens constructed, will not only
breed foxes but also takes the animals
from Alaska farms for finishing off
as Montana's climate has been proved
TO produce the finest quality fur. Furs
shipped from a Yellowstone county
ranch, which include skunk, otter, rae
coon, possum, mink and muskrat,
usually command better than the
regular market price because of their
exceptional quality.