The Nome nugget., 1928-01-07
ALASKA FUR FARMING
tBy Perry A. Co1e) Inspector of American-N National Fox Breeders Association

Inspector of American-National
 Fox Breeders Association Editor Nome Nugget:
 There isn't any donbt but what Alaska will be known the world over, as an ideal country for Fox Farming; where the climate is cold enough there is wonderful growth of fur which has a very fine texture and very good color.
 Fur farming is carried on now by zen who know fur and have very good breeding ability, no doubt there would be failures, but these failures will be mostly by people that are not adapted to the breed- ing game. After seeing most of the ranches in Alaska, would like to make some suggestions on ranch construction for the benefit of the ranchers that expect to increase. and also for the new beginners.
 have seen probably about 1000 AAAANnCo 0AlotOSACAs anu thC lOAAO ing is my opinion of the most prac- tical ranch of my experience:
 believe it advisable to use inch mesh for all wire construction for the following reasons:
 The wire is just as cheap. if No. IS wire is used in the ground, and 3 feet above ground; and No. 20 wire is used from feet above the ground to the height of the yard, also for the overhang. Foxes will 3ot fight the inch mesh to any great extent, because it is impossi- ble for them to get their nose and lower jaw through the wire; also it lessens the climbing of the wire 90 per cent, but the main reason is. if a fox gets out of its own yard, (which happens once in while. no matter how carefuD, it is impossi- through the wire of another yard 10 be ehewed oil.
 The larger the yard is built, the
 
 better, but for an example I would say to build the breeding yards 2 feet by 50 feet, and build them what is known as the Alley System. that is. to have the alleys 12 feet wide also, and have the ends of the alleys fenced in also, and overhang; this is dose so that foxes can use the yards for two or three months, and then use the alleys for yards and when the animals are in the al Ieys the yards will act as alleys; the extra expense of this system is about S7.S0 for material and the extra work, which is very small for each yard.
 The house can be either outside Or inside. as preferred. and each house has two chutes, one opening into the yard, and one into the all ley. Of course, when the yard is used for animals the chute into the alley to be closed up.
 The most practical shaped yard is a semi-circle, making the yard about 12 feet wide on a front and about IS feet On a hack. The look out tower to be located SO you can look directly up all yards and not through wire of one yard to see other yards.
 It is my opinion that these al ternating yards is wonderful help as to the diseases of foxes. as the sun has a chance to get ia it's good work on empty yards. and especially in the spring when the pups first come out they can go on clean ground that hasn't been used all winter.
 There breeding yards to be in the open with guard fence around all, ana outside of the yard an ideal condition is four large yards at least 200 feet long by 100 feet wide, built of inch mesh with guard fence, and built in the shade of tall trees with the underbrush out. these yards to be used from about the middle of summer to about November 15: all adult males to be put into one yard with their tushes cut of q have cut oif tushes from males for the last four years without the least bit of bad effect,