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FORTUNES IN SILVER FOX SKINS In the year 1910 the world was startled by the report that a man of the name of Dalton, who lived at Tiguish, Prince Edward Island, made a million dollars breeding black foxes, starting two score years ago witli two black foxes. The inhabitants of Prince Edward Island went wild with the news; they bought and sold foxes and fortunes were made in a month, Dalton selling his property and twenty-five pairs of foxes for 00,000. Unborn litters of fox imps were sold at from 0,000 to 5,000. a pair. The government took an active interest in the business, which then developed into a remarkable industry of over 300 ranches, spread all over the- island and the Dominion of Canada. The various fox companies paid dividends in 1913 of ,500,000, about an average of sixty per cent on all the capital invested iu foxes, some companies paying as high as 400 per cent; a big majority of the companies being capitalized on tlte basis of the pelts sold by Dalton in 1910. Twenty-four foxes sold for 3,265 in March, 1910. These pelts were taken off foxes raised for a dozen years, -the Daltons having previously kept the fact that they wore raising foxes .successfully in captivity a secret. The stampede that followed after the year 1910 was enormous. The supply was unequal to the demand, and prices for silver fox pups rose from ,000 to .8,000 or 0,000, and in one instance in the promotion of the Dalton Company 5,000 was the average price paid on twenty-five pairs. Another company paid as higli as 2,500 for a Itiir of breeders. Speculation lasted till tho war, which cut off the European demand, and silver fox furs dropped fifty per cent. Consequently the demand for silver foxes for breeding purposes ceased. Overcapitalized companies were unable to pay dividends on the watered stock and many of the ranches with inferior foxes lost heavily. But despite the era of overcapitalized and wildcat speculation the business of raising silver and black foxes in captivity is spreading all over the world. A number of ranches have been established through the United States and also iu Norway and Japan. The basis of the business has got down to" terra firma, or the valuo of the fur. In sixty-two years the Hudson Bay Company sold 47,700 wild silvers, for which they received an average of 45.25 a skin. Charles Dalton sold from his ranch-bred foxes in fourteen years 203 silver skins at an average of 78. The fox breeds once a year in February or March and has an average of four to the litter. Pups remain with the mother for eight weeks and are then weaned. Usually the young breed the first year. If they dont breed the second year they are pelted the third winter. Pelts develop and prime up about the middle of December. The silver fox stands captivity well and thrives in this climate, shedding his old coat when warm weather approaches, and a new coat is grown for the winter. Since the war the American market lias absorbed the entire production of silver fox furs. Skins have averaged in this country in the lust twelve years 00.
