CANADIAN FURS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 June 1928, Page 11

CANADIAN FURS

pANA DA is one of the foremost fur producers of the world. Haw furs are the chief commercial product of the wild life of the northern half of the continent and as such represent the only economic return from large areas. From these great natural preserves, or from farms on which fur bearers are raised in captivity, every province and territory of Canada contributes substantially to the total production. At the close of the fur year, 30tli June, 1926, the number of pelts taken was 3,656,148, valued at "15,072,244 dollars. Since the earliest times furs have played a prominent part in the economic life of Canada. They still continue to form a considerable item in the commerce of the country. ~Tn the last 20 years trade in furs has shown a marked increase on the North American Continent and changes which have occurred, due to the war, have been commercially advantageous to Canada. The European fur centres of pre-war times no longer dominate, as strong competing fur markets have been established in'"recent years at Montreal, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver, in Canada; and at New York in the United States. Millions of dollars of furs are handled annually at these auctions, which attract buyers from all parts of the world. The value of Canada’s trade in furs is shown by export and import _ figures supplied by the Bureau of Statistics. Fur exports have risen from 5,668.000 dollars in 1914 to 20,608,687 dollars ; n 1927, and imports increased from 3.755.00 dollars in the former year to 13.365,124 dollars in the latter. The vaiue of furs manufactured in Canada

GREAT NATURAL PRESERVES

in 1925, the latest year for . which statistics are available, was 14,142,863 dollars, an increase of 15 per cent, over the preceding year. The number of fur skins treated in fur dressing establishments was 4,190,351. The major part of Canada’s annual catch is by trappers. Many thousands of persons are engaged for the whole or part of their time during the winter season in taking pelts of wild fur-bear-ers. The principle species trapped are beaver, fisher, fox, muskrat, mink, marten, lynx, raccoon, skunk, wolverine, wolf, and weasel. Fur farmers, particularly the raising of silver foxes in captivity, is now- carried on in all th provinces of Canada and in Yukon Territory, and the value of the output of pelts from these farms constituted in 1926 approximately 5 per cent, of the total value of raw fur production in Canada. Although the fox has proved most suited for domestication, other kinds of fur-bearing animals are being raised in captivity, namely, mink, raccoon, skunk, marten, fisher, coyote, beaver, and muskrat. Karakul sheep and chinchilla rabbits are also raised successfully.

Canada, with its. cold, dry winter season, is productive of the very finest furs. In the vast wilderness areas of Canada lies the/ last great reservoir of wild life on the continent. Great stretches of forest and mountain harbour the wild life which is the main source of our- raw furs and by conservation and development the products of these areas will long play an important part in the'economic life of the country.