FORTUNES IN FOX FUR.

Mataura Ensign, 22 April 1913, Page 5

FORTUNES IN FOX FUR.

LITTER REARED BY A CATThree hundred per cent, was realised during 1912 on the' capital invested by silver-fox farmers, according to a report to be issued by a Canadian Commission (says the Toronto correspondent of 'The Times'). It is estimated that the value of a silver fox varies from £GO to £SOO, according to the quality of the skin; but there is such an active demand for foxes for breeding purposes that few fit for breeding are now slaughtered for the fur. Ultimately, however, as the Commission points out, the fur will determine the value of silver foxes, and not the prices paid for breeders. The poineer of fox ranching in Prince Edward Island is Hon. Charles Dalton. Thirty-five years ago he trapped a black fox, and knowing that there was ik» rarer fur he started to breed tho animal in captivity. During last year the Dalton ranch sold six pairs of black foxes for shipment to Russia for £20,000. The ranch shipped its last consignment of skins to London ini 1.910. "One yearf" says Mr Daltci. "I lost the mother fox when the little ones were 2+ hours old. I removed her young to my house, and they were apparently all dead. How to save them was the question. I packed them in warm cotton wool, put them in a basket near the stove, and on returning: later found some life in them. I would have lost them all only that a cat which had lost her kittens adopted them and reared them -until they were old enough to be fed_otherwise. The litter was sold for £2400 that autumn when they were six months old."