Q

. .--‘s-r-.u: r.

‘be

,' s clerir account oi the Canadian

4 .

QEMPE1L3L 1943

TIMIELY notes on TOPICS cosmecrco wmi

Silver Fox Farming

\

Several auction sales oi iurs was hcld last week, notably in New] York. Montreal and

where the Soudsc Pur Auction unhea ’ oi previously Sales Com-pony, Ltd, sold practic-l ing.

ally every type or iur which they oiiered. lied iox. timber woli. beaver. ermine. marten, wild mink, ranch mink (7.000) and silver iox made up a total 0i 60.000 pelts, valued at “25000- and every last- one oi thou: was sold. I

i ited i0: had a top price oi $21.50 ior Northwest reds; white iox reached $42.00; cross iox $47 50; timber woli $42 50: lynx $60.00; marten $188.00; squirrel .10 omits; beaver $60 00; ermine 113.25 skunk $6 '15: wlid ‘nink ' $39 50 mnek mink $34.75.

Silver Pox. oi which the collec- licn numbered 2.000 brought keen hiddinc and was 100 per cent sold- Prrll silvers and special type such

rrr- two special types oi $180.0). Ootiinarv slivers to three-nu-wrter iul‘i went ior $45 00 to $65 00: half and nuarter silvers irom $25.00 to $40

And new we-Ire able to present

Fur Auction Sales Company sale at Montreal. Monday aiternoon, Dee- ember 20th and ‘nlesdsy, Decem- ber 21st. Short accounts oi these have been forwarded to Peter G. Clark and George A Callback and have appeared in the Guardian The iollowing is iron.- a report in Women's Wear Daily, New York: “The attendance at the sale improved considerably when the iirst section oi 2.219 oi the 9,- 941 silver iox skins catalogued was placed on sale. Bidding was brisk throughout and many oi the quality pelts went to New York dealera.

Acoor" to the suction com-

Winnipeg and reached s top o! s59, u p11“

oi a maniacs oi sllv skins oi 800d color which brouglll over- $40.

in this grad. in‘ * .

Government ‘ ed a new Grade. styled quaintiy "Inferior Inieriors." Ap- Mrentiy buyers paid little atten- tion to this classification as med. turn lots in this grade sold all the we; irofilzfliuto $42. “The” m. tween Grade C and Rejects, m: al good lots were taken by Am. erlcan dealers and Canadians ab- sorbed a large proportion oi the oiierlng.

1

"The average oi the entire sale was $45.03 " We have liven the above report in iull because it is one that we believe will be studied wl-‘lr the greatest interest by every silver iox farmer in this province. Now that there is the dawn of u brikhtcr day — or rather the brlgmer day has arrived —it is up toieveryone oi us to mum careiully the trend oi things. The thought which the above auction nlaces before us particularly is that Very select bright iull silvers

price than the white-marked ioxes reached This may be due u, 1n. ierior quality oi White-marked oiiered. or it may be that the trend is back again inwards sil- vers Anyhow it appears that we will be wise not to get we (u, d. way irom it and however much we may admire the new types we must keep a background oi good silvers.

The E A Stevens Auction Com- oany oi Denver, Ooloradrkeslimated the production oi silver iox and mink pelts this season to be be- tween 00 per cent and 30 per cent. short as compared with the previ- otLe year. The demand 1s greater and this has caused prices to reach their present level. says Mr. Stevens- It was unavoidable that prices on both silver iox and mink

pony pelts an running better in color and quality than usual at this time. A good percentage con- sisted 0i selected ull silvers rrnd regular iull silvers, good silvers ranged in price irom s52. to s06. ior large and $40. to $58 ior med- ium sklns. and three-quarter irom N7. to $56. and 844. i0 $54 ior racdlurn

Selected iull slivers were out- standing in the opinion oi deal-

. ers and their views were Justlilcd

l ers at $120., $100 ..

' continuation oi the

by high prices. Exceptional skins brought exceptional prices, selected iull slivers selling ior a top price oi $140 paid ior two iota with oth- $110., $105.. and

The above report concerns the scale oi silvers which took place Uri Monday December

. 2cm That it was an extraordinary

sore can be gleaned irom the iact lilul iull slivers sold up to $140 i..r- two lots. How many were in (it'll 10C WQ d0 I10} KIIUW. D10- brrbly two, three or more skins. such price; have not been realiz- ed to our knowledge since 1937, and certainly means that there is a boom on ior silvers.

‘qhera was a good attendance December

Canadian m: Auction sales Company silver iox sale when 1.112 skins. the balance oi the catalogue, were oiiered. The sale coirmenoed with selected iull silvers oi which a portion was marketed the previous sites-noon.

r New York dealers bid ior most oi

I iull

‘:4’ ""ii*-’4lf>7'iiii§se_iei3

. , rlr-Kztzirst 4>e-¢'*s.~.-*:_._~*+-s~3-,§_r=:-ycr

}-.

1 the high quality lots. several oi ; which tflppcd $100 The

highest red

price paid was 0105. as compo the

with $140 id ior two lots previous s! noon.

lrins that brought the above prices were large, pale skins, graded select. A Grade lots c-i large silvers ..., between, $102. and $104. each; white marked iull A's fetched $90 t0 $102 each. '1‘ire price range in the selected divis- iorr was Grade A selected. $105; large iulls $50 to $104; mediums $10, to $74. large silvcrics Grade B, large iulls $64. to $96. nrrcllums $54. to $02.; large silver- ies $58. to $66.; medium also $54. to $05; Grade C large silveries $64; while marked Grade A large, $80. to I100.

The greatest interest was taken bv tha New Yorkers in the out- standing lots oi iull slivers hut they also took interest in the regular iull silvers. scvcral lots oi which brought ircm $80. to $66. Prices ranged irom $33. with most between $14. and $56 A icw regu- lar iull silvers were marketed lroier in the afternoon reaching $74 A lot oi grade B white-marked ail-

"?! madiua add It IQ“ Medium

iull silvers a Grade ranged irom WI. to see. and two lots oi largo iull silvers B Grade brought $00.

The collection oi inierior types was remarkable ior the inclusion

.:.-—i-——----i--—-- __- -_

Silver

and other raw iurs. prices.

Pelting And Clean

low.

$8051

Buying all grades Fox skins, Muskrat. Mink

FOR SALE: Used iox wire, iox houses-Secure your requirements now. Our sioclr is getting

C. R. MacQuarrie,

should start out irom high levels. considering the greatly enhanced “Wino Dower 0i the puhlic and the reduction in production.

i". H Pinaroe oi the cirrradlirn 1hr Auction Sales Company. Ltd. entered a vigorous protest during th. recent sale against the slow- ing up riiect oi a. new regulrrilqn which efieet=~the snarkeiin! oi’ sil- ver iox The new regulation applies only to iur rruc=iori cem- panies and marketing agencies and makes it compulsory to have all silver iox Qovemment graded be- iore they are oiiered ior sale. while at the same time leaves dealers iree to buy and sell ir- respective oi grading. Hc consid- ered that the regulation was un- duly hampering and made without suiiicient knowledge oi the oper- ation ci iur auction companies He’ hoped that it would be possible to market the silver foxes at the con- clusion oi the sale oi general goods at the sale oi commencing Janu-! ary 18th. but at the moment it was] lmpomible to be dcilnite about the situation.

Dont iorget that today. Friday. is the last receiving day ior sliver iox and other types oi pelts to arrive at Canadian National head- quarters. Bununerside ior the sixth annual provincial Silver Fox Pelt Show. Everyone who can enter good ior: pelts should do so There [is no entry ice and shipping and

other charges are exactly the same,

ior ordinary pelts Monday. Janu-

ary 3rd will be classiiying day. Jruesday. January 4th, clixssiiylng. rwednesday. January 51h. judging. lThursday. January 611i. Judging

continued. Frldayq judging com- iplcied and presentatoin oi tro- l phies.

end oi the year and can be pard-

oned ii we take s. retrospective glance over the history oi our in-

dustry driving that year. In Janu-

isry the Canadian Fur Auction Sale ‘in Montreal was an outstanding event because oi the splendid col- Ilertion oi all types oi ioxeg oi- iered and the presence oi South American buyers including the celebrated Marcel Kummer. the man who bought the first platina foxes marketed 1n Norway and made them so popular 1n South America. The average oi the sa reached a new high in recent years

And now we have arirved at the

The February auction was not quite so good but at iuture nuc- tions prices improved wonderiully until at ilrc September " the average was in the vicinity oi $30.00 The December auction Just completed saw an average S45 "3 established, which compar- cs invorably with the highest o‘ the past ten years. All over the continent wherever auction sales oi silver iox are held, at Denver. Seattle. Vancouver, Winnipeg. Chicago. New York. ‘Toronto and Montreal, new high levels ior the season are shown and the story is that there is a scarcity oi silvcr

o >0

l

Foxes

Paying highest market

ing Plant Now Open

i‘

THE CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN

*- NEWSY

AMIIHIIANB 0|" P. l l- (d)

laullaa —'i.‘bs loo e <0 am slum sefiirlrfirlmlrii i-roolilrd Frog. Conxnon. Male 3- 1-3 inches. fell-ii! rather larger. A single longitudinal lord or- rid" lions each side. color olive-green-

ish. sometimes brassy 15g“ 4“ ula-r name irom its u, which Ire rounded. clioooim in

. W1 cream- color or light green, digpoggd in two insgular rows Usually two iI-rlor some between the e . 5711mm: l. viroseeu (lag)

~45) lana- Ieuiinalls Boonie. 511F111! Pros. or Green Frog. Blush conspicuous longitudinal iold on each side. Males 3 to Ii 1-2 inches ions. iemnies a to s inches. Brishi- green. with darker (brown- ish) ilanka; our variety is largely brownish. -!.verywhere spotted blackish, the spots small and without deiinlte pattern. Throat oi male yellow. oi iemale white. spotted. This species was named L olarnitans by Mes-rem; and it. hv-iconensis by Holbrook.

.-( Rana sylvatica (lecoute) Gunther. Jilastem .Wocd Frog- This is thought to be s variety oi’ the European Rand. temporal-la Linnaeus. Usually brownish but

>

brought $140, which was a higher- may vary irom nearly black tojrcuseholds

nearly flesh color. Males 2 inchse. females 3 inches. A blackish band or patch on each side oi the head encloses car and eye; legs eon- spicuously long.

This completes the iLst oi sm- phibians which the wrdter has iound. and students oi natural history are requested to keep these notes and check up our all species observed. in this perhaps other SQQCM; may be brought to light-

The vocal eiiorts oi our frogs show considerable variety. but it is dliiicult to discover the kind responsible ior the particular broadcast. since all isll silent as one approaches. must be noted that sue: (perhaps all! irogs can exercise a sort oi

camouflage. becoming darker in gloomy sun undings and lighter in sandy situations; and these

changes take place rlther quick-

DORING FOR OIL

Amongst my notes tire other day I came across some accnrlnts oi previous attempts u) "strike rle" in this Province, and now have pleasure in laying them beiore my renders.

By tire terms oi Confederation it was provided that the Dominion should make an investigation into the geological possibilities oi the Island. Very lirtile was done in this direction uutil the year 1909. when at the request oi the local government, the Dominion Gov- ernment consentrd to make bor- inga (not to aggregate more than 10.000 ieet) in diiiercnt sections oi the Province Accordingly in that year iive borings were commenced. one at Callas Point, one at Earnscliie. one near Klnross one at Mimincgash, and one at Little Sands.

The boring at Little Sands, on a iarm then occupied by Mr. Samuel Dixon. was the deepest oi the iive In this hole salt water was ilrst noticed at a depth oi 150 loci. at 910 fcct fresh writer was incl. then salt water again a1 140 icet, then a great ilow oi’ iresh water again at 1.560 ieet. and irom 1.750 ieet to the bottom oi the hole a strong ilow oi salt .i________i___

iox Some say the quantities are down as much as 33 1 3 per cent from last year and we quite be- lleve it However quality is up be- cause so many ranchers who were not making a succea oi iox iarm- lug gave it up and those who re-

nrairred kept s better grade animals. This heartening price increase

has stimulatzd enthusia irr everyone connected with the in- dustn‘ lhd will mean that more attention will be paid i0 breeding. iecding and care oi ioxes in the years to ccme The establishment by the Provincial Gover-nrimnt oi s stud oi ioxes near Charlottvown under the management oi Brent Howatt is s splendid move and one which should meet with the op- proval oi lls all. The ioxcs select- ed are oi excelle t quality irom sood ranches and ii the breeders

l, show th_e proper interest in this unusual venture other studs will

b¢ instituted throughout the pro- vince and the very best foxes ob- tained ior service in them.

help each other. encourage other and try in

nopularitv silver iox iarnzing ber. what beneiits one beneiits all.

And now in concluding let thank you

As to color. it,

l.-.

The motto oi us all the coming year should be to stick together. each every way to. brine brick in its oldtimc glory and, in‘ the Garden of the Gilli Remem-

us ior the kind support you have given us throughout the year and may we wish you and your: a verv Happy and Prosper-

Norcs -

. t the srvst rim-W" grurllaoafi tlzs drilling was dil- continued at 2.002 icet-

Thero was no sign oi coll. Ill- or oil. at any o! the ohm '1" amined. we": i: I 'l‘ii‘°°° "ll n . . several years, until 1W3 "m" Messrs 1-1. M. Dochier u Pgmpln)’, oi New York, again took up the boring and sank two wells on Governor's Island in a search ior gas or oil. Both wells were carried down (without result) ior 1.500 ieet when one was aband- rqred while the other was tshu over by Messrs. McKay l“ 35°‘ Olunl; and drilling was continued. Aiter reaching a depth oi 5.965 ieet (or cs5 ieet more than l mile) the contracting Com- pany. having iound n i value. co NW1!!! 1M Pulled early in September.

the casinli

1021 It was a matter oi general regret that the! venture was un- successful since the Docherty

Company alone has spent nearly $500,000 in carrying it out.

wz pour KNOW '1'"! llAl-F

| About peat. In Ontario. I gath- vcr. this material is made use oi in many wsys- As a iuel in many parts o Province. since it is more easily ignited than coal. burns with nrore goomplcte combustion and sinks to a light clean ash H011.- mli 0W" I iind that a mixture oi wood and peat gives a stand iive that docs not "iur" ill‘! stove-pipes with soot. as coal docs- it is oeansr to handle im- 111d burns away a. little quicker than .coal but not as quickly as wood alone. It does not spark 1t will be interesting to Islanders who have peat beds on their forms. to know the price averases 36-00 DB1‘ W" 1n Ontario For iiirm use the pea/i and ground up ior poullry 11W?!‘- A still iincr- grade is sold as i fertilizer. ThLs is not Sirffliige when one considers that peat is merely the dec mposed remains oi plants. though some oi the chemical ele- ments must have leached out. This material might well be used to ioriliy our sandy soils, but as peat 15 known to 4 have a somewhat “sour disposition." a dash oi lime along with 1t would be advisable The peat we_ are using was our! g w time. this iall, arui was spread on a ileld to dry When it was raked oil. in a. little, while i1 observed) the Xlrass begnzi in improve on ‘rho spot where it ilfld

lain _

Again. in Orrinrio. the irnest oi the material is kuowrr as "-c:\t mu11"_ a, tom, which seems lo connect wltlr the Scottish word "Hirull" meaning o. snuii-bor- Uui. lircre ls n0 pleasure ll‘i this kind oi mull, for 1t is used 1n making explosives ior war.

Ground peat is also used as iiller- ior other iertillzrers such as flair oiial. tankage. etc». and rs rin- doubtedly better than the sand so extensively used at present. Molly districs on the Island are sandy encugh, without paying ior more m make them sandier!

TllE LAST BEAR

I am indebted to Mr. Cnlin Higgins oi Oyster Bed Bridili’ i“? an amwer- u, rr.y question as lo when the lax-t Black Bear was killed. Mr. Higgins sends ilris ex- tract irom an 01d newspaper.

"In the winter oi 11128-9 s. large Black Bear was shot at Souris Line Road by two boy's. George more, aged l8 nears. and Bernard Leslie aged 13 years ‘They had only two cartridges but killed the bear and carried the skin into Souris."

My thanks to Mr i-iiklih! i" 50 quickly responding to my 01101‘!-

"BIRDS 0F‘ NORTH CAR DLINA"

is dried

Lest srrmruer tlrres vtritors on tour oi the island. called to have a chat on the birds oi the. Prov- ince. The party had ccmc all lire way from North Carolina to enjoy our scenery. which delighted them (as it does all visitorsi though our weather must. have been disap- pointinr: The other day i heard irom then; azaln and I was the one to he delighted. icr they sent mo a splendid book--"Thc Birds oi North Carolina." just published. There are many iull-page colored plates oi birds in their natural surroundings. and numerous text iigures» It is as thorough in its treatment as the well-known "Birds oi Eastern Canada." but much more artistic.

On looking it over I was at iirst sown-Fed to iind that most ‘oi our birds are found in ‘North Carolina. too. ‘Fhcn I recellecttxi that only a icw oi our birds slay heri- io~ the winter; owdcnrly (luckv ieliowsii-thev go to N. Carolina The vcrv iirst color plate is that oi the Wood Duck, one oi our handsomest birds The Great Horned owl and even the snowy Owl are as great rascals there as here: thcv change their skies. not their customs. as the

ous New Year . ___. . .

wgee+++ee

FOR

iemalea as well as a isw pups-

ily

Iiatinam pup male, three and slivers.

SUMMERSIDE

I also have ior sale one pup "and Pearl Platinum.

I Phone lliiisbon R l-l.

Bur. to the iset that I do not new intend to keel! l! d ' ' I new eiier ior sale several provsn breeder-a males an

The"

1m Itinyneok sliver platinum male who ll I D l‘ ' Show. ens other silver plsflniln Illlltmllo

This male when crossed ieruales will threw the iarnoirs new type known

'4-7t7+'+‘+'k'k++++-k++

FOXES

SALE

_-__€-€-—i-

many breeders as

include Raoul Ieylflflfliis illillii“ up won first orlre at , one La Forest

males.

male. tire sen oi a Ia Ion-t Platinum

with Pearl Platinum as Glacier- Blue,

I. ROBERT MUTCII, Mt. Herbert, I Miles irom Charlottetown.

+4-4-s-e.-i-_-r-_-r-;r-_+;r-++:i-.+.~i-fjr3rj-w-+++4

"U""*~N“I‘"‘I‘T4I‘

the book give a great deal oi 1n- iormation (new to me) about this wanderer So I value this book tlm highly. both as a token oi irlend- ship irom a family irom a iar land, and for the birds-lore in rt. I purpose ii spared, to compare 1t,l bird by bird, with our own list and land iind our. ilow many are com- lmon to both localities.

JUST A FEW Wi‘RDS

llcs midway Scotland. an

bent at the

To our sorrow we have learnt what the Swastika stands or; lire antichristlan spirit abroad in the world today The swastika was at iirst the symbol oi good-luck. its name in the ancient Sanskrit language oi India means "ior-lun- ate.’ It was adopted by the heath- en religions oi old tirues and ap- peared. carved. on the altars oi the Romans in Britain It was then known as a Gammsdion- Adopted by medisevsl heralds on their costs oi arms. they termed it a Pyliot. The only other designa- tion I have come across is a Ger-