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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1922)
NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. THERE IS MONEY IN FOX FARMING Industry Is Rapidly Gaining Favor in Several of Northern States of Country. MANY ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY Bert Location for Farm Is Where Winters Are Cold and Opportunity Offered to Develop Fur Dig Price for Pelts. (Trepared kr ths United States Department of Agriculture.) Fox farming Is fast paining favor In the United States. The Industry, barely known a decade ago, Is fairly common In some states of the northern tier, Is represented In all states In this tier and In that next to it, and Is growing rapidly. There Is money In It for the raiser who starts modestly, learns- the business, and then expands his holdings. There are losses In store for the type who starts with a big ranch, no knowledge of the business, and only a desire for quick profits. At tho, present time the Industry Is undergoing a process of stabilization. Most fox farmers raise animals for breeding purposes, and comparatively few have adjusted the business to a pelt basts. All told, there are between 10,000 and 15,000 silver foxes being grown In captivity on American fox farms at this time. Many Animals In Canada. Such are some of the conclusions . of a representative of the biological survey, United States Department of Agriculture, who has Just returned to Washington after an extensive Inves tigation of American fox farms and A Silver Fox. tho methods of their operation. In 1 T .1... AU I 1 . . A I A .1 u ijUUHUU, wueru uiu niuusii v uiiKiuuieu, and especially on Prince Edward Is land, where there are approximately 15,000 foxes In captivity, fox farming is conducted on a much more extensive scalo than in the United States. Its promise of good financial returns to those willing to master Its problems, give indication that within a compara tively short time in this country it will rival in proportions the industry In Canada. The best location for a fox farm is where the winters are cold and the fox may have opportunity to develop fur in keeping with the needs of the climate. The Industry is thus confined by climatic conditions to the northern states. There tho raising of foxes for breeding and for the fur markets flour ishes. Most of the foxes rulsed In captivity are on farms, or "ranches," with pens for from 25 to 50 pairs, al though in occasional instances the ranches arc much larger, containing pens for as many as 150 pairs. The foxes generally breed in Janu ary and February and the young are bom within 52 days. A pair of foxes raises one family a year, the number of young varying from one to ten, though rarely exceeding five or six. Most of tho fox raiser's troubles come when the young are a few weeks old and are peculiarly susceptible to at tacks from worms. Great care is nec essary to carry tho young foxes through this period. Most Foxes Sold for Breeding. It is not advisable .to kill a fox for the pelt before 18 months of age for at that time its fur is more valuable than at a younger age. Comparative ly few of the foxes raised on Ameri can ranches are sold at the present time, however, for their pelts. Most of the ranchmen obtain higher values than the worth of the pelt by selling the live animals for breeding purposes. A good pelt may fetch as much as $G00, though the average is much lower, approximating $250 to $350. The furs are comparatively little known be. cause of their rarity. Silver foxes vary from those in which the color Is entirely silver to those In which it is entirely black except for some white-banded hairs on the back and rump. In the black fox tho white is absent from all parts except tno up of the tall, which Is generally white in all phases of the animal. . PROVIDE DUCKS WITH. WATER Where Supply Is Lacking Fowjs Gum Up About Eyes, Become List less and Die. A duck must have water about its head and eyes dally or it will not thrive. However, if a tank of sufficient denth Is nrovlded for the ducks to sink their heads in the water clear out of sight when they drink, then thev can do without a nond or stream of tunning water. When they have no water nt nil, ducks often gum up about the eyes, become listless, sit about, SECRETARY WALLACE ON FARM PROSPECTS Year 1922 Should Be Better One for the Farmer. Money Conditions Are Improving and Reduced Freight Rates Lighten . Transportation Burden Prices Hit Bottom. (Prepared by the United State Department 01 Agriculture. When asked for a statement on tho prospects of the farmer In 1022 Sec retary of Agriculture Wallace said tl)at no man whose opinion Is worth considering would care to make any hard and fast prophecies. He added, however, that there are signs which Indicate that the coming year should be a better one for the farmer and for those who deal with him than was 1021. Among these hopeful signs he mentioned the following r Credit conditions are better 'both through regular channels and through the special agencies created to meet tho farmer's needs. Interest rates also are softening. Itcduqtlons already made in freight rates on farm products lighten by that much the transportation burden which the farmer has been carrying. Cost of producing farm crops will bo lower relatively In 1022 than in 1021. Very likely there will be n reduc tion In the acreage of some of the grain of which we now have sucl a large surplus, and this should tend toward better prices. The paralyzing effect of the sudden drop in prices last year Is wearing off, and farmers will nter the new year more hopefully, believing that the worst Is over. Congress has Indicated a willing ness to enact such legislation as prom ises to be helpful. Farmers are coming to see more clearly that the task of putting farm ing on sound business basis is really up to them and that through orgnnlza tlon they can reduce marketing costs. In this they will have increasing help from the Department of Agriculture and the various state agricultural col leges which now see better than be fore that they must give tho farmer the same sort of help in the marketing of his crops that they have been giv ing him In the production. In the Industrial and financial cen ters there is coming to be a better un derstanding of the Important part the farmer plays In our general economic scheme, and consequently a decidedly more intelligent and sympathetic at titude toward him and his problems. With prices of farm products fall ing and the future very uncertain, even those farmers who had money laid by and there are a large number of such have .been restricting their buying to what they had to have. Now with the growlnj belief that prices have hit bottom, ftuying will be resumed and should inerense In vol ume, and manufacturers and retailers who make or sell things that farmers need or want should have better busi ness this coming year. Everything considered, therefore, we can enter the new year In a spirit of hopefulness and good cheer. I see nothing which Indicates boom times for the farmer In the near future, but there does seem to be promise of better times both for the farmer and for those whose business Is largely dependent upon him. HOLD CORNCRIB DOORS SHUT Disks From an Old Harrow Placed Over Corners of Sections Will Prove Efficient. Most corncribs are built with de tachable sections that are removed to provide a low opening, through which the corn Is scooped until the crib is nearly filled. A satisfactory method OIsks hold Corncrlb Doors In Place. of holding these sections in place is to put disks from an old harrow over the corners of the sections and se cure them with bolts. This method is simple, as but little time Is required to remove or replace the sections, and they are held firmly and without In Jury to the lumber. S. B. Glbbs, Ames, la., In Popular Mechanics Magazine. ADVERTISING FARM PRODUCTS Where Automobiles Pass Farms It It Good Idea to Post Bulletin Offering Produce. Do the autos pass your door? Why not put up a bulletin at the front gate and let folks know that you have some nice butter, honey, eggs, chickens, fresh pork, potatoes or other things for sale? The auto folks will pay bet ter than retail prices for high clos DAIRY CATTLE ON DRY FARM Government Begins Study of Dairying and Crop Possibilities In 8outhwest. (Prepared toy the United State Department or Agriculture.) In order to study (he possibilities of dairying and to develop better meth ods of crop utilization in the dry fanning regions of tho Southwest, tho bureau of animal Industry of tho Uni ted States Department of Agriculture has established a herd of purebred dnlry cattle on n farm in the scinl arid district of northwestern Okla homa. Tho bureau of plant Industry has had a farm here near the town of Woodward for many years, and has studied such crops as grain sorghums, broom corn, forugo sorghums, cowpens, alfalfa, rye for the prevention of soli Weighing Out the Proper Rations Requires But Little Time. blowing, and winter wheat for pasture. From now on the farm will bo used co-operatively by tho bureau of plant industry and the bureau of animal in dustry. This Is considered a neces sary combination, as most of the feeds grown there are of tho kind that must be fed largely to live stock. The dairy division hopes to deter mine whether or not it is desirable to produce live stock under those dry land conditions, and to grow the crops which will give the largest returns per aero In terms of milk or cream. The question is not one of crop tonnage, but of the amount of finished dairy products that can be turned out. The work here is not designed to discover the best practices for any particular state, but to study practices that will be desirable In the large dry-land re gions where only certain crops can be grown. i The people of this little Oklahoma town have shown great enthusiasm In regard to the Investigations that the department of agriculture contem plates. The town purchased 1G0 acres adjoining tho old government farm, and turned It over free to the govern ment for a period of 00 years. The voters of tho town wero almost unani mous In favor of this donation. The cattle that are being used on this farm are also In the country-wido breeding project being conducted by the dairy division and bulls have been sent from the government farm at Beltsvlllo, Md. In this breeding project, which now Includes more than 800 cows and 50 bulls, It is hoped to de termine what are the best methods of breeding for the Improvement of cat tle. The large scale of this Investiga tion should make tho results particu larly valuable. CLEAN ALL DAIRY UTENSILS Where Several Cows Are Kept Water May Be Heated by Means of Small Boiler. One of. the greatest conveniences on the farm where cows are kept Is some means for heating an abundance of wa ter for washing tho milk vessels. Where a considerable number of cows Is kept, heating water by means of steam from a small, low-pressure, up right boiler is deslruble, but on the small farm a stove with a basin fitted Into the top (or It may bo separate from the top) can be purchased cheap ly and will serve the purposo,- provid ed the water Is proporly heated. Wa ter can bo pumped from the well di rectly Into the basin. In order to avoid heating tho milk room and to do away with smoke and ashes, the water heat er should bo placed immediately out- Bide tf the milk room ; and, If elevated, the water from It can be run into tho washing vat. PRUNE APPLE TREE PROPERLY Orchardists Should Take Care Not to Cut a Hole In Top Too, Much Wood Taken Out. In working on apple trees be care ful not to cut n hole In the tfectop, Many people read about opening up the center, of the treo In order to let sunlight in and then make the mis take of cutting out too much wood. A tree properly prunea siiouiu never show where the limbs come from when viewed at a distance of 25 feet. Sherlock Holmes tells In ono of his stories of tho lled-hcadcd league the device by which ono of his villains got a clerk temporarily out of tho way In order to carry out his schemes against n bank. At Baltimore, a red-headed league has Just been founded without any sinister purpose. The students of Goucher (women's) college In that city have organized u society of which any man, woman, or child In the United States Is eligible who can certify that ho or sho 1ms genuine red hair. Tho membership fees $l for women and ?2 for men will go to wards the erection of a building of red brick on n new site that tho college has obtained In n Baltimore suburb. The Titian Tints whoso president Is Miss Ituth Wallace, the daughter of tho secretary of agriculture In Mr. Harding's cabinet have Issued n clever and witty .lcallet extolling the virtues of red hair.. Was Once a Legislative Hall It Get's 'Em All. Judge This court sentences you to Imprisonment for one year and ten days. Criminal What Is the ten days for, your honor? Judge Wnr tax t Chesapeake and .Ohio Magazine. Knew His Lesson. "Tell us something about Ksa'u," di rected tho catechism teacher. Vincent, nfter clearing Jils throat, explained that "Esiiu was u nion who wrote fables and sold tho copyright to n pub lisher for a bottle of potash." Detroit Varsity News. Task Before America. America, too, will huvo to strain Its energies, crack Its slncwp and ull hut break Its henrt, as the best of us have had to do, before It can becomo n habi tation for tho gods. Thomas Carlyle, Was Once a Legislative Hall This white pine structure, erected In ls:U5. once housed tho legislature of tho old Wisconsin territory, now the states of Iown, Michigan und Wisconsin. It Is located ut Belmond, Wis., and is being proser cd by u special uct ot tho present Wisconsin legislature. WORTH KNOWING a son answer lurnein away wraui i and a short nnswer turnntli nwnv Im. pertinence. MOTHER! CLEAN CHILD'S BOWELS WITH CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP The Alpheus river In Arcadia re peatedly disappears under ground and rises again, , Thirteen million people each day attend moving picture plays In the United States, During tho last ten years Now York city gained 851.203 In population. More people live within her boundaries than In any state except Pennsylvania. Il linois and. of course, Now York state. Nearly 200 nlphabets, ancient and; modern, are known, of which CO arq now In use. Tea was wholly unknown to tho western nations until the beginning; of tho Seventeenth century. A new safety device Indicates tho, nmount of salt In water thut enteral boilers and lights a lampas li warn ing when It threatens to damage tha boiler tubes. Even a sick child loves the "fruity" taste of "California Fig Syrup." If tho little tongue is coated, or if your child ls listless, cross, feverish, full of cold, or has colic, give a tcaspoonful to cleanse tho liver and bowels. In a few hours you can see for yourself how thoroughly It works all tho constipa tion poison, sour bile and waste out of tho bowels, and you havo a well, play ful child again. Millions of mothers keep "California Fig Syrup" handy. They know a tea spoonful today saves a sick child to morrow. Ask your druggist for genu ine ''California Fig Syrup" which has directions for babies and children of all ages printed on bottle. Mother! You must say "California" or you may get an imitation llg syrup. Advertisement All He Asked. Old Crusty You ask for my daugh ter? Why, young man, at your pres ent salary you could not even dress her. , Suitor Oh, yes, slrl I could keep her in gloves. Old Crusty Gloves I Do you mean to Insinuate that my daughter would wear only gloves? Suitor Pardon me, sir; I asked only for her hand. Taking the Fun Out of It. lie "I seo this hotel has adopted a rulo permitting women to smoko." She "I suppose now I'll havo to quit." Every department of housekeeping needs, Red Dross Ball Blue. Equally good for kitchen towels, table linen, sheets and pillowcases, etc. Adver tisement. One Stumbling Block. "So long as dar's chcatln' In a crap gnme," said Uncle Ebeu, "Its glneter be hard to put a complete stop to fightin.'" Neglect the "beg pardons" and pres ently you will hear cuss words. ACQLDTOWY'-DQHTDEIAY I Cluvs Cblds in 24 Hours caunppc in j uats DH) W.M. MIUICO.,DCTROrr. 1 1 History In Sculpture. Quito n remarkable example of the tio of Eculpturo to Illustrate scientific fncts in tho frieze on the exterior of the New Institute of Human Palaeon tology, In Paris, carved by Constant Jioux. it dep'cts scenes from the Hit ot primitive humanity; some of the subjects being reconstructions of pre historic perhds while others repre sent contemporary life among un civilized people. But Now Itummy Itoblnson Yes, lady, onco for a whole year I turned mo back on beer. Kind Lady Ah, ray noble man, what were you doing nt the time? Itummy Itoblnson Driving a brew ery truck, mum. Nothing Serious. "Flubdub has Joined the great ma jority." "Eh?" "Got a car at last." Men and Marriage. "'One womnn In a hundred marries tho man sho wants,' snld Galsford; 'tho other nlnoty-nlne look for some ono they can nt least tolerate. Ono man ripens tho peach, and another al ways eats It.' " "Marriage Is always an adventure, n blind leap. You don't begin to know anything nbout a woman until you're married to her." From "The Secret Victory," by Stephen Mc-Kenna. Not Really Remarkable. "Do you know anything about palmistry, Herbert?" she asked. "Oh, not much," ho answered, "although I hod an experience Inst night which might bo considered a remarkable ex ample of palmistry. I happened to glance nt the hand of a friend, nnd I Immediately predicted he would pres ently become the possessor of n con siderable amount of money. Before ho left the room he had a nice little sum handed to him." "And you foretold that from his hand?" "Yes, It had four noes In It." , Cuticura Soap Is Ideal lor The Complexion Sotp 25c, Oktment 25 aaJ 50c Talcum 25c Its Own Place. Mr. Brown wns until recently a deacon In the Methodist church in his tdwn. But recently he not only with drew from his honored position, but censed to bo ns regular an attendant at church ns formerly, Tho minister, who came to call nt tho Brown home, demanded the reason for this failure. "My rheumatism Is much worso than It has boon for years," Mr. Brown be gan, "and I ennnot walk so far." "Tut, tut 1" laughed tho minister, "I believe It Is n lack of religion." "Sir," Mr. Brown drew himself up firmly, "my religion Is In my heart i not In my legs." Indianapolis News. , t Up to the Neck. A bachelor who Is forever putting Ids foot In It recently visited the proud parents of n new boy. Tho mother held up tho bundle for Inspection by the bachelor and asked gayly: "Tell ns now, frankly, which of us do you think he Is like?" After a careful scrutiny the bach elor replied "Well, of course, It Isn't very Intelligent looking yet, but he's wonderfully Hko both of you." As She Am Spoke. "Liza, I hears 'at yoh dnughtah's church weddln was some sho' nuft skriiiiipshus function." "I'll say 'twas. 'At 'ere gajwh mine. flang a wicked nuptial, ef lipoet It myself." )es sayj One third of your life is allotted to sleep. Do you get your share? .Th most important period in tho process of applying nutrition to tho repair of the body ia while you are asleep. For tho most favorable trans formation of digested food into nerve and cell tissue, so doctors tell us, sleep is absolutely essential. Is it any wonder that those who suffer from lack of proper sleep are weak, pole and lacking in energy or ambition? One of tho causes of insomnia is nerve-irritation, from tea and coffee drinking. Tea and coffee both contain caffeine, which haa a tendency to cause undue stimulation. The irritating effect of caffeine often results in insomnia, depression, and a weakened nervous system. You con easily overcome these troubles by drinking Postum instead of tea or coffee. Postum is a delicious, satisfying cereal beverage, and it is absolutely free from caffeine, or any other harmful substance. Ask your grocer for Postum. Drink this delicious, refreshing beverage for ten days. Then see if you do not feel better and more clear headed, and if you do not sleep better at night as so many other people have proved for themselves. Postum ccmes in two forms: Instant Postum (in tins) made instantly in the cup by tho addition of boiling water. Postum Cereal (in packages of larger bulk, for those who prefer to make tho drink while tho meal is being pre pared) made by boiling for 20 minutes. Postum for Health "There's a Reason" Made by Postum Cereal Co., Inc., Battle Creek, Mich. don't eat and soon die. goods.
