The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1928-03-22
FUR FARMING IN
STATE is BECOMING
A GREAT INDUSTRY

Recognition of an industry that is
at once the Oldest and one of the new
est among Montana industries is de-
mahded by group Of Montanans who
met few weeks ago in Butte and or
gained the Montana Fox and Fur
Farmers association. The fur trade,
once Montanas only industry, pio-
neer IN the wilderness, will, this as
soclatlon AYERS, now take its place
among the modern enterprises CON
trlbuting an ever increasing share to
Montana's growing income; and fur
coated, four footed wealth, instead of
being captured from the untamed
forests will be seen in a new setting
OF pens and runways like the domestic
animals that have been for years
part OF our farm assets. This new in
dustry, according to the state publ
city division, offers opportunities of
expansion second to none.
The publicity office estimates that
the total value of all Montana fish,
game and fur products was approx
mately two and one-half million dol
lars last year Montana, standing first
IN area of forest reserves, should lead
the nation in fur production. Instead.
The Treasure State has been falling
behind other commonwealth in this
industry. Louisiana, for example, vii
this year turn out fur products valued
at about S10,000,000. Eastern states
with their denser population, their
more intense cultivation of the soil
and their lack of forest cover are not
as well fitted for fur production as is I
Montana, but some of these states I
have earlier awakened to the posi- |
bllitles in domestic breeding and rails
Ing OF fur bearing animals. Fur farm
ing has been responsible for bring
ing the number of beaver from almost
zero to many thousands in such
thlcky settled state as Pennsylvania.
This year after century of absence
the beaver skin will constitute an item
of commerce in that state. Similar in
creases have been the experience of +,
New York, Colorado and Louisiana
notably and in other states to less
degree. At the present time Wyoming,
Colorado, Pennsylvania and New York
have each more beaver than Alaska.
Loulslana's muskrat catch alone
brings a far greater annual sum than t.
he entire returns of the Montana fur !
catch Louisiana, in her small area.
2,Ooo -~Sefs a year; the re-
cords of the fish and game department !
snow that Montana shipped 81 in 1927. !
As indicative of what may be accom-
p ished in fur farming, the owner of
farm in Wisconsin was recently Of (
fered S8,000,000 for his establishment, +,
which offer was declined, according to I
the official magazine Of the Chicago :
Milwaukee, st. Paul and Pacific rail 7
way company This farm, it is expect
ed, will have on hand this year about /
$1,000 foxes and will turn off up 7
wards of 10000 pelts per year. The 7
breeding stock is valued at from
$1,000 to $4,000 and $4,000 pair.
Montana is the natural home of q
most OF the fur bearing animals; the q
lation's greatest reservoir of wild I
lie. In demonstrating wild life, how /
'ver, Montana has been backward S
Records of fur bearing animals I
hipped outside the state in 1927, com e
'lled by the state fish and game de-
'artment, show total Of about $780, S
100 and include 111,762 muskrat, L
,4S7 mink, 735 fox, 586 racoon, So A
tier and 1922 beaver. S
Demonstrating shifts in the fur in |
ustry, it is pointed out that the low /
jack rabbit probably contributed $
acre to the state income in Montana t
asst year than any other fur ANNA t
nth the exception of the muskrat. h
'uring the winter Of 1926-27 one firm {
lone took 58,498 rabbit skins out of f
lontana. Practically all of these skins v
ere jack rabbit skins. The skins of V
he white rabbits, properly stretched