OONIEOTEO NITN Silver Fox and

Mink Farming

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mnk ranchers were gratified b! m, m-mig demand for the colloc- gon of ranch mink sold by the New York Auction company last yeek. Advances as much as 16 per m“ were recorded and 00 per “n; or the 45,000 skins were sold. m, pods were from best member ranches of the Great Lakes Mink AgsocliitiOll and described as a m-y fine collection. They were mpgcged to produce strong prices. aowever, very few thought the bidding would be so strong as it turned out to be. Manufacturers. dealers and a number of to? fashion retailers played a promin- mt part in the buying, all evi- denlly eager to obtain some of the choice goods at this time. One re- tailer, Maxlmiilian, paid top price o; the sale -$42.00—for a lot of Kobucks.

The New York Auction Company noted that keen competition was evidenced in the standard section with all color phases in equal de- mand. Exceptional strength was mown for selected dark colors and Kohucks. Top price was $42.00 for male Kobucks, $25.00 for female Kobuoks; $30.50 for standard males, 918.50 for standard fe- males. In the Starlight section the game strength continued without | 50ft spot in evidence during the sale. Clear pale goods were eager- ly competed for in this section with a $36.00 top for male Star- iights and $23.50 being paid for females. The general feeling was that the results are viewed as a needed shot in the arm and that the sale would glve evidence to the market and provide an incen- tive to hesitant buyers who were waiting to see if skin prices were at their low ebb. These observers believe that the entire market will be strengthened and that a rising confident market is a necessity at this time.

Construction is well under way in Montreal of’ a new fur sales building for the Hudson's Bay company to replace its present ob- solete buiidlng at 100 McGill Street. Persistent trade reports in New York and elsewhere credit the company with plans to hold fur uctions in its new home which is scheduled to be oocurid in October but no formal con- llrmation is obtainable. As long

l 1

llo as October, 1041, Sir Patrick M1119? Cooper stated that it was the intention of the Company tn establish in the building now un- der construction what he describ- ed ls a "fur sales centre" in Montreal. He would not say whether regular auction sales were to be held in the new location but aiknitted that there had been dis- cussions on the subject such as had been held ioir the past one hundred years.

The Hudson's Bl! Company was formed in a coffee shop in 14m. don in i668 and received its char- ter on May 2nd. mo, its first Governor was Prince Rupert, the 8N8! cavalry leader and uncle of the ill fated Charles 1st. 1n the Board Room oi the Company's head office in Iiondori. England, is a full length oil painting of Prince Rupert and on the walls are paint- ins! of all the Governors who have succeeded him. This great company which at one time con- trolled the entire west, is still very active in the fur trade, also in mercantile and other ventures. They still handle theiinest Can- adian wild furs and in addition many others such as Russian sable and rare and high-priced furs. It would certainly be a good thing for the fur trade if they decide to open an auction in Montreal. The American representative oi the Hudson's Bay Company __is Lampoon, Fraser and l-Iuth, Inc, New York.

Edward Fromm. President oi Fromm Bros, which were the larg-

est breeders of silver foxes in the world, stated recently that they cut down their breeding

stock last fall to 1,250 females and expected to have in produc- tion in a. few years a magnets col- ored fox and a new type of blue fox. m. Fromm did not state whether he would be producing silvers and mutations but most probably the firm will. be.

Dr. T. T. Chaddook who

has been veterinarian director of Promirfs Laboratory. Grafton.

Wisconsin. for years, has resigned and his future plans are not known. Dr. Chaddock will be re- membered because of his visits here during the distemper epidem- ic some years ago. His place will

of delivery.

Closed on Sunday.

NOTICE

Flower plants, hardy varieties only, will be on sale June 8rd. Do not come before that date. made a fair growth except late plantings which are backward. Have the same varieties as last year. Prices wlilbethesame. Orderswlllboacce tedonlyondny A few days notice may orders larger than average. Plants will be sold by the Box only, same to remain in boxes at time of sale. All plants sold must be called for at Greenhouse.

PERCY BURKE, West Royalty.

Plants have

necessary for

l i945 Ford three-ion truck.

ST. PETERS ROAD

llSEll TRAOTORS

l Only-Ford Ferguson, I947, first class condition.

lFordson, complete with l-bottom M. H. plow. Tractor equipped with self starter. Rubber tires on front wheels. ideal unit for formers who do not liove to i-rovel on paved highway. Complete unit, $295.00.

l McCormick-Bearing gong plow, used one season, $60.00.

S. R. JONNSTON Ltd.

New motor. Priced to sell.

PHONE 262

PROMPT DELIVERY

NIGN OIIRLITY

Fertilizers

CAN BE MADE B

T"! lSLllNO FERTILIZER 0O. lil-

rartvs ‘Willow rouaro mam-mos AND RELATIVE- “Yilllllarsasinsuouanruunsosiaxsiruu mo caor raomaanu.

ba taken by n». George ON. who was with the Great Lakes Ranch Service for several years. Bis primary interest will be in the field of research,

methods of disease control.

Silver fox pelts and mutations ara selling in the United States but at very low prices. At the American National Sale in Mil- waukee recently, silvers bad a top of $18.00, platinum! 030i». At the Denver sale 8.000 silver fox was 75 per cent sold for $18.00 top. Platinums of 50 per cent sold at a top price of $20.00. White faces brought a top of $17.00, pearl plstinums, bought mostly for export, ranged from $8.00 to $10.00.

Continuing our brief story of the Rnoord Book ‘of the Silver Black Fox Breeders Association of Prince Edward Island Vol. 1 we find that in 1013 Samuel Ken- nedy of Charlottetown purchased a pair of silver black foxes from Silas Rayner, Kiidare. They were Reuben and Zilla. Latcr Mr. Ken- ned-y purchased foxes from West Core Silver Fox Company, West Gore, N. 8., which were of Ray- ner ancestry. Mr. Kennedy con- tinued fox farming until a few years ago on his ranch, bower lvlalpeque Road. He’ had some very fine, foxes, many of them beautiful bright silvers and others of the darker type. Mr. Kennedy was Mayor 'of Charlottetown and held many important offices and his dleath was of a great loss to our cty.

The Interstate Silver Black Pox Company, Charlottetown, was formed with foxes purchased from the Perfect and General Bur Farms. They were successful breed- ers but not on a large scale. Other names we notice towards the end of Vol. 1 include Mac Black and silver Fox Company, Summerslde. with foxes purchased from Henry Waugh, Wilmot Valley, Peerless Silver Black Fox Company and others.

And now we come to the George

THE NORTHERN ILICIIII

‘Iihls bird, which is also known as the "Ycllowhaanmer" and the "High-hole," was the commonest species of Wooqiecker in the Pro- vince thirty or forty years ago. It is pouibly still fairly abund- ant in the eastern part of the Island, but becoming scamcer in the centre and west. I can well recall that; after I had been a few weeks on the Island, I saw a large bird fly overhead with a flash of golden yellow and white. It was e. long time before I rc- cognized it as a Flicker, since that is a brownish, mottled bird when viewed in profile. However, this episode directed me to the study of birds generally.

The Flicker has not the destruc- tive hablts of the Sapsucker 11M is too fond of fruit to be a popular character. I?! it has a large family (‘l or 8) of little flickers to feed, and it finds a cherry orchard handy, it will certainly reduce the owner's profit! Apart from this unlucky habit the Flicker has many good qualities. It rambles about hunting for ants which it destroys in great numbers: it also devours grasshoppers, beetles and moths, as well as other ground insects. Irt does less "woodpeck- lng" than the other species, be- cause its~ bill is constructed dif- ferently. I . '

‘Ilhe Flicker is said to prefer a. hollow tree as a nesting place and I once noticed a nest in a tele- phone pole which had been ‘nollow- ed by some other species. In due time tihe young Flickers left the nest and descended to the road. They were collected and transfer- red to the safety of the garden. where they fluttered around for two days or so before leaving. They were very tame, and would scramble up onto ene's shoulder.

Northern Flicker, Golden-winged Woodpecker. AOU. 412a. Summer Resident, common-mil: decreas-

-0 NEWSY NOTES -

ly Agricola

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ing? Mala. Head I111.- a bright scarlet band across th nape; sides of the neck, vinaceous, and _a broad black stripe running from the base of the bill, on each aide "like whiskers." Bill slightly curved. A broad black crescent crosses the breast. Back, wing coverts, and innermost quills, brownish gray, thickly barred black; primaries black externally, under surface of will" bright yel- low. Tall eoverta (rump) white, barred with black; tail black above, below yellow tipped with black. Underparts white, more or less tinged vinacebus, shading to yel- low, and thickly spotted with black. Female similar but with- out the “biack whiskers" on the throat. Length of adui-t about 11 inches. The Sky in June

On June 2nd, Saturn and tlw Moon are in conjunction; if the weather is favorable this should be seen, with Regulus first magni- tude star close by. Next evening, 3rd. June, the Moon is in First Quarter.

Tuesday, June 7th., the Moon is in Perigee, only 228,100 'miles a-way. On the 10th the Moon is “at the Full.” Perigee plus Pull Moon is supposed to activate "earth-shocks."

Conjunction of Jupiter and the Moon, on June 13th. Bad weather usually follows this conjunction, within 24 hours, or so. Moon in Last Quarter June 18th.

- June 19th the Moon is in Apo- gee. distant 251,000 miles.

June 21, Summer Solstice; the Sun is said to enter the Zodlacal sign of cancer (the Crab). Actual- ly, the earlier occurrence of the Equincxes each year has brought the Sun into the constellation Ge- mini on June 01st. The common man merely says “Summer begins today.”

June 24: the Moon-is in con-

E. Brown Fur Farming C y. Margate, that started with Sir John, bred by Charles Dalton, and Lady Pane. bred by F. H. Beer and others. Lady Fane was from pure Dalton stock. The company also had Lord Ilmferin and Lady Fane, bred by Irederiok Clark and J. 1-1. Hunter respectively. From the above strains and others add- ed afterwards this company be- came one of the most noted of the 1930's. Their Bonnie View 41B and mates produced a notable progeny that sold to other breed- ers established the principal prize winning strains of silver black foxes in this Province. Sold to Ontario breeders such as Ruth- ven, lvIcCague and others they topped the shows there.

William Brown, son of George E., conducted a. ranch on the St. Peter's Road about two miles from Charlottetown and there he bred many prise winners and sold stock to breeders that also appeared high up in the lists. ‘Ihe George E. and William Brown silvers were among the first to show the wide silver bar which become so popular. ‘The matter-t strain in Suinmerside were descendants of George E. Brown foxes, in fact we might go on and name a great many others but the above is sufficient to show that George 1:. Brown and son William made a notable contribution to the silver fox in- dust-f!

Next on the list is the Seal River Black Fox Company, prin- cipal shareholders of which were George A. B. MacDonald, drug- glst, CP. Fletcher, George E. A-uld_ and Benj. Rogers, all of Char- lottetown. In the fall of 191i after having heard so much about the silver fox industry and the money that was being made in it, they decided to buy a pair from the Hon. Chas. Dalton. It was late in December when they arrived at his ranch and he disappointed them by telling them he had not a pair for sale. They kept press- ing him and he finally said he

had one pair he could sell, but V-l

they were May pups and he never found May pups to breed the first year. The decided to take the chance and paid him $7,000.00 for them, brought‘ them back and turned them over to William Jen- kins, Seal River. They were nam- ed Seal River Rogers and Seal River Fannie.

The following Spring of course they were anxious to find out how their venture came out after. they learned that the female had a litter. It was the practice to look in at the pups when they were one month old and one can imagine the anxiety they went through during that period. Fin- ally news came from a very ex- cited rancher in Seal River that Fannie had seven pups. The next year they added Seal River Helena- and Seal River Fletcher, trading a pair of pups oi their own breed- ing with Mr. Dalton for them. The following year they enlarged the convpany and capitalized it. On the original investment the prccnoters received handsome divi- dends and in 1918 they sent a very fine line of pelts to C. M- Lampson and 00-. Inndon. Ell!- land, one of which sold for the highest price on the December auction -- £250 — equal to about $1,250. When we set up our fox ranch in 1910 we purchased two pairs from the Seal River Coin- pany. They were very beautiful silvers and both bred and had lit- ters which they raised and gave us a good start in the industry. Through the years hard times hit Seal River the same a-s other companies and they went the way of the rest.

The Charlottetown Silver Black Fox Company had as its principal promoters Col. H. M. Davison and Ernest Coffin. This ranch was on the Mount Edward Road and its original foxes were purchased from Charles Dalton, the Silver Tip Black Fox Company, Crap- aud, the Tupiin For Corporation

agement they had, the company prospered and became one of the best in the vicinity of this city. Their foxes were among the fin- est we looked at in the 1020's but they were very dark. At that time dark silvers and medium silvers brought about the best prices when clear in color and free from brownishness and the Charlotte- town had just that kind. Later on the demand was for more sil- ver and those with the dark foxes found it difficult to change over to the bflghter strain. Ws would like very iflch indeed to

and the Royalty Silver Black Fox Company. Under the good man-

hivve some of the dark silvers and medium silvers that were in the Charlottetown ranch in the 1920's. They have been completely bred out in our efforts to keep up with the Frommh in the production .of bright silvers.

The above vuHChldCS our brief story of Vol. i Record Book and as we glve a glance through its pages before putting it away we cannot but marvel that an in- dustry started here back in the early 1800's, should spread to so many countries and cause so much money to be invested in foxes. ranches and equipment until in 193'! the world's production of ail- ver foxes numbered in the hun- dreds of thousands and the value of the take-off was over $40. mil- lions. The debacle came ln 1930 when war broke out and ranch herds were cut in two. Then a brief spurt of prosperity with tho promotion of the platinum foxes both Norwegian and Lal-‘orest, and the industry looked once again to be in for a period of good times, but when peace was declared all countries started to put up their defences against imports and so silver fox and its mutations which are wanted furs in France, Italy, Great Britain, South America, Mexico and many other countries, cannot be imported because of re- strictions. At the same time the United States and Canada have permitted the importation oi hun- dreds of millions of dollars worth of inferior furs.

New

1110 flflt Clttll t0 0P0" if“ It” Mill’!!! it

tattle trosslng Saves Zil-Mlle Trip m. . .

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lake. near Patarboro. Out. are shown. AI-

Ines‘ though rough fill la down. ordinary traffic is not permitted to cram. Allowing this farmer to take

animals over saved him BO-miletrip around lake. The Causeway replaces a iioatirq bridge.

function with liars and later with Maury. We shall not see these because of bad timing!

Iloou in conjunction with Ur- anus 10.41 p. ua, on June It, and New Moon on the 80th.

The um two conjunctions ef the Moon: with Venus on June 2'1, and with Saturn, June 30th, will take place in the daytime.

These conjunctions are eqaeclal 1y valuable in making the budding "i. acquainted with the position and appearance of the planets.

Sequence of a cyclone. A cyclone, according to the first "weather prophets," was s system of winds movim round a centre of low barometric pressure. That was a very good ddinition till somebody used the word cyclone for a strong circular wind, now called a “twist- er.” In order, I suppose, to avoid

on, the word cyclone is never heard now: the prophets lg- nora it. By the year 1W1 I was able to plot out the sequence of thecyclone for P. E. Island. De- ginning with the N. W. wind abat- ing the sky clears to a cheerful blue, but the air is cold: in win- ter bhe drift dies down. Then the wind backs to the WNW and de- tached cumulus clouds appear. Still the wind backs, contra-sun- wise, till it is due west; it is still fine but the wind is strong. Now dense strato-ciunulus clouds begin to swear, and as the wind swings to the SW they give place to the "Marc's-tails" of windy cirrus. The signs and portents multiply now. The animals are restless; cows come to the bars-they want to come home — and the cats. elec- tric animals, are excited. Corns, wounds and "rheumatic" ache. Drains smelli The wind goes to the S, and stratus clouds are conspicuous. If the sun is visible, it ls watery and may have a perihelion. The moon is pale and has a halo. Drizzle or faint snow falls, a. forerunner of what is on the way. Now the wind is SE1, bringing driving rain or sleet. Oi- ten this period is short and t-he rain lasts but a few hours: this depends on the diameter of the cyclone. But it is a critical period from which the cyclone recovers by (1) an immediate jump of the wind to the NW. w";h its clear sky and cold air; or iii) by an orderly retreat, sunwise, along tho road it came! ‘The wind veers south, tihen SW, W and NW again. In this case, especially in surn- mer, there is often muggy, oppres- sive weather from the SW, which enm in thunder showers. There is still another course. (3) wherein the wind shifts from SE to E, still raining or snowing, according to the season. Wind from some easterly direction brought a merci- less cold rain to the newly ahorn sheep, in June; the settlers in PEI. looked out for the "Sheep Storm." NE storms brings loose fluffy snow from the North At- lantic in Spring. As the wind swings north it becomes boisterous but the aky clears. The weather is cold but has not the keen, in- cisive quality of the Northwester. Lastly the wind turns to the NW to complete the circle.

Nahlw N000!

For some years I have grown the Cowsiip. an English wild flow- er belongin to the Primula (or Primrose) family. Like the prim- rose, it is of a yellow hue; but it bears a cluster of flowers on the summit of a short stalk. (The primrose bears itu flowers sing- ly.) Our hot simmers have al- ways limited its seed-production. so I was gratified to find a num- ber of seedlings near lihe old plants, and still more gratified to observe that one of them was

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Speed The Vegetables

Some of the very finest vege- tables ever produced in Canada aregmwninthafarNorthintha Yukon or on the shores of Great Bear Lake. And the reason for this is not extra good soil, as a matter of fact the soil is usually poor, but extra hours of sunlight which, push growth along at s fantastic rate once the short sum- mer really starts. And quick, un- checked growth is the real secret of tender vegetables. Now we can't all live in the Yukon or on the shores of Great Bear Lake so the majority of us will have to get along with just the average amount-of sunlight. But it is possible to grow vegetables quickly anywhere in Canada if just a little care is given. In the first place one must have good seeds and of varieties that are suitable to local conditions. Next, the vegetable garden should be thoroughly cultivated or dug, then the seed planted according to directions on the packet. Spacing is important, as crowded plants never have a. chance to develop quickly. Cultivation once a "week will usually be sufficient itself to keep growth coming along even in the driest weather. If a horse is available, however, that will be another safeguard. A little chemi- cal fertilizer applied carefully and according to directions is also advisable.