Commission of Conservation Constituted under "An Act to Establish a Commission for the Conservation of Natural Resources," 8-9 Edward VII, Chap. 27, 1909. Chairman : Hon. Cliptord Sifton Members : Dr. Howard Murray, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. Mr. Frank Davison, Bridgewater, N.S. Dr. Cecil C. Jones, Chancellor, University of New Brunswick, Fred- ericton, N.B. Mr. William B. Snowball, Chatham, N.B. Hon. Henri S. Beland, M.D., M.P., St. Joseph-de-Beauce, Que. Monseigneur Charles P. Choquette, St. Hyacinthe, Que., Superior, Seminary of St. Hyacinthe and Member of Faculty, Laval University Mr. Edward Gohier, St. Laurent, Que. Dr. James W. Robertson, C.M.G., Chairman, Royal Commission on Industrial Training and Technical Education, Ottawa, Ont. Sir Sandford Fleming, K.C.M.G., Ottawa, Ont., Chancellor, Queen's University Hon. Senator William Cameron Edwards, Ottawa, Ont. Sir Edmund B. Osler, M.P., Governor, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. Mr. Charles A. McCool, Ottawa, Ont. Mr. J. F. Macfay, Business Manager, " The Globe," Toronto, Ont. Dr. B. E. Fernow, Dean, Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. Dr. George Bryce, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man. Dr. W. J. Rutherford, Member of Faculty, University of Sas- katchewan, Saskatoon, Sask. Dr. H. M. Tory, President, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta. Mr. John Hendry, Vancouver, B.C. Members, ex-officio : Hon. Martin Burrell, Minister of Agriculture, Ottawa Hon. W. J. Roche, Minister of the Interior, Ottawa Hon. Louis Coderre, Minister of Mines, Ottawa Hon. John A. ML\thieson, K.C, President, Premier and Attorney- General, Prince Edward Island Hon. Orlando T. Daniels, Attorney-General, Nova Scotia Hon. James K. Flemming, Premier and Surveyor-General, New Bruns- wick Hon. Jules Allard, Minister of Lands and Forests, Que. Hon. William Hearst, Minister of Lands, Forests and Mines, Ontario Hon. James H. Howden, Provincial Secretary, Manitoba Hon. James A. C.\lder, Minister of Education, Provincial Treasurer and Minister of Railways, Saskatchewan Hon. Arthur L. Sifton, Premier, Minister of Education, and Pro- vincial Treasurer, Alberta Hon. William R. Ross, Minister of Lands, British Columbia Secretary : James White Commission of Conservation CANADA COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES, GAME AND FUR-BEARING ANIMALS FUR^FARMING IN CANADA By J. WALTER JONES. B.S.A. Printed by GAZETTE PRINTING CO., LIMITED MONTREAL 1913 Committee on Fisheries, Game and Fur^B earing Animals Chairman . Dr. Cecil C. Jones Members: Hon. 0. T. Daniels Hon. J. K. Flemming Hon. W. H. Hearst Hon. W. J. Howden Hon. J. A. Mathieson Dr. Howard Murray Dr. J. W. Robertson Hon. W. R. Ross Ottawa, Jan. 83, 1913. Sir: I have the honour to transmit herewith a report on fur-farming in Canada. Your obedient servant, JAMES WHITE, Secretary. Hon. Cliffokd Sifton^ Chairman, Commission of Conservation. To Field Maeshal His Eoyal Highness Peincb Aethuk William Patkick Albeet, Duke of Connaught and of Steatheaen, K.G., K.T., K.P., &c., &c., Goveenoe-Geneeal of Canada. May it Please Your Royal Highness: The undersigned has the honour to lay before Your Eoyal Highness a report on fur-farming in Canada. Respectfully submitted, CLIFFORD SIFTON", Chairman. Ottawa, Jan. 24, 1913. Contents PAGE I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. EARLY ATTEMPTS TO DOMESTICATE THE FOX 13 III. MANUAL OF FUR-FARMING Common Red Fox: the science of breeding 16 ranching practice 25 financial aspects 48 Polar or Arctic Fox: blue fox farming 56 blue foxes of the pribilof islands 60 Raccoon 70 Weasel Family: MINK 71 marten or AMERICAN SABLE 78 FISHER, PEKAN OR PENNANT MARTEN 79 CANADIAN OTTER 80 SKUNK 85 Rodents: MUSKRAT 89 BEAVER 90 Reindeer and Moose: THE reindeer IN CANADA 92 moose 95 IV. PREPARING SKINS FOR MANUFACTURE 96 V. THE COMMERCE IN RAW FURS Centres of the Fur Trade 104 Prices of Silver Fox Skins 109 VI. appendices I. Value of Wild Animals 115 II. Experience in Raising Virginia Deer 117 III. Selected Articles from American Breeders' Asso- ciation Reports: objects of breeding wild mammals 119 EXOTIC species FOR DOMESTICATION 120 breeding of the WAPITI 122 breeding the VIRGINIA DEER 123 breeding fur-bearing ANIMALS 125 IV. Reindeer Progress in Alaska 131 V. Canadian Legislation Respecting Fur-Farming. 135 VI. Statistics of Fur Production 138 VII. Statistics of Fur Prices 146 VII. index 161 ILLUSTRATIONS I. Sitting on the Box in Which He Made a Railway Journey... Frontispiece II. Full-Furred Foxes 13 III. Range of Red Foxes in Canada {Map) 16 IV. Red, Cross and Silver Foxes 20 V. A Mated Pair of Silver Foxes 25 Fox Pen in the Maple Woods 25 VI. The Best Location For a Ranch is in a Woodlot 26 VII. Detail of Fence Construction with Sheet Iron 28 Detail of Fence Construction—An Alley Around Each Pen.. 28 VIII. Usual Type of Kennel and Pen iZ Cheap Kennel Constructed from a Packing Box Zi IX. Floor Plan and Vertical Section of a Fox Kennel 34 X. Plan of Two Good Types of Fox Ranches 36 XI. Foxes of Various Ages and Attitudes 40 XII. Range of Raccoons in Canada {Map) 70 XIII. Range of Minks in Canada {Map) 71 XIV. Mink Ranch at Lac Chaud ; 72 Mink's Den, Artificial 72 XV. Range of the American Martens in Canada {Map) 78 XVI. Mink Sitting on His House 82 Otter 82 XVII. Range of Skunks in Canada {Map) 85 XVIII. Beaver 86 Live Skunks—Long Striped 86 XIX. Range of Muskrats in Canada {Map) 89 XX. Range of the American Beaver in Canada {Map) 90 XXI. Stretching Boards 98 XXII. A Collection of 34 Wild Silver Fox Skins, Worth Upwards of $21,000 110 XXIII. T. R. H. Duke of Connaught and Princess Patricia in Saint Patrick Ranch 126 '^^ Sitting on the Box in Which He Made a Railway Journey -September Fur Fur-Farming in Canada I. Introduction lUE-FAEMING is a new industry in Canada, but its development has been rapid. An investigation conducted in the latter half of 1912 revealed numer- ous instances vrhere animals of various species were being bred in captivity for their fur. Foxes of two species and of all colour varieties, skunk, mink, raccoon, fisher, beaver and muskrat were found upon fur-farms. The marten and otter are likewise being domesticated for their fur. In one instance even the wild cat was retained in captivity for breeding purposes, and it is authentically reported that the common black house-cat is being bred for its fur on pioneer Ontario farms. Up to the present time the domestication of wild fur-bearing animals has been practised most extensively, and also most successfully, in the Mari- time Provinces; but the industry is developing rapidly in Ontario and Quebec, while isolated fur-farms are also to be found throughout the "Western Provinces. The great interest manifested in fur-farming is to be ascribed to the remarkable success attained in breeding silver and other colour phases: of the fox common to Eastern Canada. The black and dark silver skins from foxes produced on Prince Edward Island ranches have rarely brought less than five hundred dollars each, and frequently bring over two thousand dollars at London auction sales. The pioneer fox breeders have acquired wealth in the business and their success has inspired their neighbours to engage in a similar line of work. Naturally, the price of breeding stock, responding to the increased demand, has risen to many times the fur value, so that the ownership of even a pair of silver foxes is imposisible to the average farmer. Corporations and partnershi])s with a total capitalization of several millions have been established for farming the silver fox. A large pro- portion of the inhabitants of Prince Edward Island and a smaller pro- portion of those of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have invesited their money, sometimes even mortgaging their property to buy stock in these enterprises. Others have attempted to breed fur-bearing animals which require less capital for foundation stock. Thus, in 1912, more than a tbousand red and blue foxes were imported into the Maritime Provinces. Jlink, skunk and raccoon arc being experimented with. The faith exhi- 2 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION bited in the breeding of fur-bearers, particularly in Prince Edward Island, has advanced prices there above those obtained in any other part of the world. Canada and the United States are being searched for fur-bearers for shipment to Prince Edward Island ranches. Pox companies incorporated elsewhere es/tablish their ranches there where the farmers have a thorough knowledge of the rather difficult art of breeding, and the consequence is that fully 85 per cent, of all foxes in captivity are to be found in the island province. The high prices for furs prevailing during recent years explain why fur-farming has made such rapid progress in such a short time. This is particularly true of the black fox industry. The fur-value of £, high-grade black fox ranges from about $500 to about $3,500, but the demand for breeders has been so great that the price has risen to $25,000 a pair for the best quality of breeding stock. Moreover, the promoter has entered the field and companies are being floated whose capitaliza- tions are based on these high prices and rosy expectations of profits. Although there is ample basis for a sound industry in fox-farming, it is necessary that the general public should realize that the industry is becoming a highly speculative one, and that the individual who puts his money in companies loaded with a heavy burden of capitalization assumes a great risk. Since the fur-farming industry is so intimately connected with the present high prices of furs, it will be worth while to inquire into the causes of these high prices and endeavour to forecast to what extent they will continue to operate.