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TIMELY IOTES 0ii TIIPIGS GOIIEGTEII VIITII.

Silver Fox and Mink, Farming

, A o0

The Provincial Government acted with commendable energy in pure-h. rising a sits and commencing the installing of cold storage equip. merit on Either Sta Charlottetown. The building is suitable and with iiic equipment being placed in it can handle ten cars of fox meat. There is room to enlarge to hold upwards of 40 cars when equip- ment is available. t-As a mater of fsct this city and surrounding country was in a really bad way for storage facilities due to the tie. ‘nruction of the plant of the Island Oold Storage by fire a (‘Ollplg of months ago. The new move is op- portunc to sly the least and ranch-- ers will be less apprehensive regard- ing the feed situation for the com- ing summer and fall.

We were delishtcd to have a letter- fi-oni Robert W. Fraser of Lampsun. Fraser 6s Huth, 1nc., New York, re- cently with reference to the early days of the fox industry here. Hc has in his possession a letter dated February 2nd, i900. which his father wrote in longhand to Mr. Charles Dalton regarding a black fox pelt consigned to Lampsoirs which they sold at their wintcr ssic in 1900 for £390 ($1,880.) tltis being the highest price ever reaiiz- ed up to that date. The total offer- ing of silver fox at that sale was Z50 skins. This letter is the first ever written in connection with ranch raised silvu‘ fox and is truly an historic document. Mr. Fraser has slso a copy of C. M. Lsmpson a co.’s account sale of March. 1910 showing the tremendous price! they realized for Bolton's 25 fox pelts which averaged £276. 8. 0. (51,335) and an autographed photo- gi-sph of Mr. Dalton in his original ranch in Tignlsh, together with one or two letter; in his own hand ivriting. Mr. Fraser has a very clear recollection of the skins which brnilglii these tremendous prices as he sat in the auction box at the time they were sold and in talking lo Mr. Da ton at various times he told him how he first came to con- sign the skins to London.

Details in connection with the sale of the Dalton pelts and of the secret manner in which he was advised by Iampsons of the prices realized and the secret way in which the proceeds of the sales were forwarded to him, are recoll- ectctl by Mr. Fraser. It. will be re- membcied that in thosc days the pioneers which included the succes- sors of Messrs, Dalton and Oulton, Nth as ihe nayners. the Tuplins and the Gordons. all had the idea that if very many people went into fox farming the price o1 pelts would drop. Thcy did not envision the tremendous boom in breeding which would ensue when the fantastic profits they were realizing became public knowledge, neither did they in ihc least forsee the days when upwards of a million and a half cr iicrhnps more, silver fox pelts would be produced l.n America, and Europe. However, they had a. shrewd idea that by nssking silver fox an exclusive fur the very wealthy would pay any price for ‘it and they were correct in that assiunp- tl-on. Today we arc ‘suffering from the fact. that silver fox has become ioo common and although its beauty has not changed 1nd it ll still os desirable and flattering as ever. _vct the very large quantities produced have placed the price below the cost of production.

Many of our readers will rc- riiember Robert W. Fraser and'h!s visits to this Province and also various parts of Canada where ne has acted as judge at fox and mink shows. CM. Lampoon s; Co. who

were represented in America by Alfred Fraser nd his nephew Robert W.. ha a reputation for

honc-rnhlc dealing thut can never be excelled. From our earliest re- "iflllflker who said. .'"l‘iii.s Jan- olirrtioii of the fox industry, it was “fiilhled with their name rind pr-i- llie would proudly state the prices ‘My received from the firm of l-rmimn at Co., London. In addi- iion to our good friend Mr. "Jol- ifln. there were the Tupiins, the Rayners and others mentioned Ilhovo who obtained very large prices. Jim Tuplin- from a section of hrs ranch sold pelts ot Lamp- Ions for £400 and that part of the .nchhcunslaownasthe‘lat ." No doubt the Gordoqs, the ytiers and others could show Isles sliPl that would be astound- lhlr if we were to see them new. ____________________%

‘the United States

O-O-OOrO-O-O-O

A very interesti lte

the Canadian FutilgAtibrtlon “Q12: C°ml1111y Jlnuflry vendue at Mmmeli lPlle-ared in the stand- "d Wbriwiry 8th. It is largely an interview with Arthur C. Prentice, the chief auctioneer and genera] "My sale is just about the most important we have ever had. We have ten sales ‘a year but the first play- the bisselt pert in deciding prices on thc international fur market. We are selling $3,000,000 worth of furs at this 53.15 aim-m Prices are going away down. ‘gt year we were selling at just about the highest prices in history but 110w there is not as much free money as before. Prices are 10w Wh" Y0“ might cell normal. To 131W you an idea how important ""8 “is i! I may say we have aso buyers registered and besides Con. adian buyers we have them from the United States, London. Paris Buenos Aires, Brazil and Belgium. They are all dealers, manufactur- ers and retailers."

One of the hardest things to find out for the uninitiated is how the buyers 8o about bidding. A cas- ual observer gets the impression that it is done by mental telepathy, They do it in several ways, Mr Prentice erqalained. Most bid by Pointing a finger in the air, raising one or both eyebrows. pointing W4“ l Pencil or just nodding. Home of themthough have Ipecial systems of their own. When they look at their catalogue they are bidding and when they look up they "B through, ‘The auctioneers know all the buyers by sight and know the individual methods of b54018. so they don't make any mistakes. As a matter of fact, ‘n auctioneer cannot afford to make mistakes.

Prentice has had a lot of pract- ice. He was born in England 39 years ago. arrived in New York at the use oi 1O and Joined the New York Fur Auction Company, In 194i he organized a subsidiary company in Denver, Col. and came to Montreal a year ago when the New York firm bought the Cation‘. i-sn Fur Auction Sales Company

The std-to of Louisiana through their wild life and fisheries de- partment. have sold the entire fur take of inuskrats from state own d game preserves for the remainder of the current tmpping season to Stcinberg dz Co., New Orleans and New York. This lnvol\'cs an es- timated l50.000 muskrat pelts and the belief is th-s-t it will act as it stabilizing factor for muskrats in the U.S.A.

The Motty Eitingon, Inc, w. cern which went on the rocks d e to too much optimism in the pm- cesslng of lamb pelts into a trade marked imitation fur named Mou- ton. are still having considerable difficulty in endeavoring to get their affairs into a satisfactory business condition. Eiiingon tvtue just unfortunate in that when they were all set tcflput their product on the market from coast to coast and from north to south the bot- tom dropped out of furs and pri-xczi sagged so mucii that people rushed in and bought the real thing rs- tlicr than the imitation. Hod ‘iis fiim been organized a few ycats earlier they no doubt would have made g real clean-up“

An interesting announcement day stating that judgment liod been given in New York to the ef- fect that. platinum furs being 9. distinct mutation could enter the United States free of duty. This would be of some advantage to Canada but would also be oi-tite same advantage to \NO'l'\V8_V might have the effect of flooding market and causing g severcr decline in prices than we have now. However, the matter is not settled with thvit. ac- clsion which has been appciiicii. Uniil that appeal is satisfactorily disposed of no one can be sure that duties will not be collected later on furs shipped in.

As part of a program to restock

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ls' Cheap ilnsuranco mpdd a. dociisge. %_

n! sun roNY IIII m" ritasurs

Unusual combination is "Smo- kuq mufiqgy.“ son of a donkey mother and Iaetland

father being 919890 57 ‘Art 8min. four. at Los Ang- ‘ s-ies.- Ir srs sag Jeinbtnation

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appeared iii this paper on Wcdncs- ~

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BETTY ADMIRES FUBS AT $3,000,000 SALE

librport of furs from the annual Canadian fur auction at Mont- real will be the largest in iuist- ory. officials report. Here Betty Styron admires magnificent pelts, port of the $000,000 worth of skins being sold. She was glad to hear predictions that prices of furs and fur coats are expected to be lower next winter.

Turkey Eggs For Incubation

(Ellkfimcssariasmg News) Dilflflif T069111 years the rearing of illfiflys has increased rapidly and" the demand for poultry is always h»; excess of the available supply. As a result of thin demmd gm- mum, flocks of breeding turkeys to supply eggs for incubation are increasing in size and many new flocks me be- in’: established. The rearing of tux. keys in thus becoming an establish- ed industry and it becomes moire important than ever that the eggs for incubation be such as to pro- duce poults that will hatch. live and

grow, says A.G. Taylor. Poultry Division. Central Experimental Fanrn, Ottawa.

As the breeding flock becomes

larger aind tendency is to pay less attention to the individual in the flock and in turkey raising this pitfall must be nvoided at any cost. The male and females making up the flock should be well matured aijzl at least ten months old at mat-

R. ELITE DCOE

into production is almost way to the production

(Continued On Page l4?

the area with fur herring animals and to re-esta-blish returncd men the §askatcheivan government is undertaking u fur development project for veterans in tho Porcu- pine game preserve, southeast of Juilsons Bay junction. In all prob- ability these will be stocked with muskrot which has proved such h, money proposition in some areas in Manitoba.

Of

Silver fox ranchers of the United States are appealing to Congress asking that no reduction in tariff rates for silver foxes be permitted. They state that an already waning silver fox forming industry would be dealt a death blow in any re- duction n-f tariff rates. They urgcd that tariff walls be left untouched while import quantities of sliver fox pelts coming into the Umted States be reduced as a further protective measure. The above was brought out 5t o hearing before a special committee of Congress The only direct concern by the fur farming groups as indicated at ‘he hearing was the tariff on silver fox pelts. Passing mention was given io ranch mink now entirely frec of tariff or quota restrictions. It was fclt that it would not be long be- fore domestic mink ranchers \vo-uld need good protective tariff to be ab

mink raising abroad. .

The findings of the Board wills be submitted to the state depart- ment ln preparation for internu- tlonal negotiations on reciprocal trade scheduled to begin in Gen- i‘ in April. Throughout the pro- ceedings, emphasis war placed on "the delicate financial gpsition of the silver fox industry. Price dc- clines since November have edged

many fur farmers close to banlt- .

ruptcy, it was pointed out and all that was needed for complete fail- ure was a lowering of, the tu-riff rstes permitting more foreign pelts to come into the U.8.A. Price drops were attributed to style changes, fabric shortages and repercussions of OPA regulations.

Due to the activities and urgings cf consignment houses, fur farm- ers and not excepting our Timely Notes. we understand that the Do- minion Government. through its Department of Alflcuittire will in the near future release some news that will considersbly strengthen the silver fox and mutation pelt situation. It vii-ll be’ remembered that we asked for the removal ~f the processing tax, the B per osiit sales tax and that a floor be placed under fox pelts in this column early list fall and these facts were communicated to our representa- tlves, to the Minister of Einsncc and to others who could help us This was followed by activities of the Dominion Fur Council,- the Canadian National Silver Pox Breeders’ Association. the Pill. Fur Pool, Ltd. and others. Tiiens was also pressure brought from other qiiertermin Canada but we believe Prince Edward Island will

l "l ‘(Glut fifli ill“ i.....~,..-.........%~ -' "i

ing time. Forcing immature females‘

to compete with improved

M? NEWSY

What la a Species?

‘that is a very old question and one most difficult to answerl On paper it is easy to say that animated nature is divided into Fhmliies, Genera and Species, in descending order; but the nat- ural variations of animals and plants make it almost impossible‘ toclass them into absolute cate-

gories. What one botanical auth- ority ocnaiders a species, an- other classes at a more variety. Our own Island flora furnishes many instances of this uncer- taint].

It was Charles Darwin tihai:

y first drew the attention of the

learned world to this question, when he wrotez-Jspecies origin- ated by means of natural seiiec- tion, or through the preserva- tion of the favored races in the struggle for life." It was neces- sary to define the terms oi such a momentous statement. and the word "species" at once came under scrutiny. A species. said one scientist, is all those animals or plants which have descended from a sing-lo pair of parents. Sligihily better was this defin- ition;—A species is the smallest distinctly definable group of liv- ing organisms. (This definition has been widely accepted.) An- othcr scientist said. "A species is an eternal and immutable entity." No Darwinian he! Lastly we have,

annoyed Mr. Darwin exceeding- ly: "A species is a mere abstrac- tion of the human intellect having no existence in nature!"

Thomas Henry Huxley. Dar- win's great exponent. was a bril- liant speaker, whose humor some- times had a caustic quality. In a_ lecture on the Darwinian Hypo- thesis. he said. after reviewing the different notions of a species- "ln ihcsc islands we arc in ihc- hablf. of rcgurtliiig lllzuikind as of one species. but a fortnighfs steam will land us in a country where divine! and savans. for once in agreement‘. vie with one rmoiher in loudness of assertion. if not in cogencv of proof. ihat men are of different species: and. more particularly. that the species negro is so distinct from our own that the Ten Command- ments have actuallv no reference to him." (Such polished but un- kind wlsecracks were in retribu- tion for “twisting the British Lion's tail". a common amuse- ment in the old rlavs).

“Even in the calm nntomolovy." Huxley “where. if anyWhBr" i"

roizinn nf' went on. this sin-

shouid fail to stir the mind. one learned colennterist will fill i6" attractive volumes with tie-scrip- tion; of species of beetles. nine- ienths of viW-h arc immediately declared by his brother ‘iectlcy monizers to be IV‘! species at nil. This was in all prob-ibilltv true in mid-Victorian limes. though not know. The identification of species of hcetloi: has become an exact science. The bescitlniz sin of the coleopterists (and othersl in this era. is the inventing of the new Latin names for, the genera and snecics everv year or ‘wo. ‘In the realm of Funs0i0fl_ m.- Crown m- Font-call of viii-i- ous hosts. hns been sticcessivelv named Ueniirnphagtis. “chili”- Pseurlom-inas. and ti" 1944b A!" robaeterlnm. emit followed b" til! specific name tumefnr-iens. ‘Phere was no real reason for cihtvnainiz the generic name, and the time empbveq 1,, ngflng the change might have been Dffimfibly Pm‘ played in other Fulfil“!-

The Parasitic he!"

1,, n,» "Tos/chers‘ Bulletin" of 191a this Justin!‘ is noticed as‘ on Island bird. with iha remark one particulars and

specimen seen." No of date or place are 8W9"?

entries did not in an appears

THE CHARIJOTTETOWN

fill Wflfid- 0355i" "d “"‘i"idi9"~bservntion nf the Writer.

GUARDIAN _

NOTES -

by Agricola

O v

apparently no further specimens have since been observed. Mr. Ruble W. Tufts. Chief Federal Migratory Bird Officer for the Maritime ‘Provinces. remarked of this bird that it occurs in August far off from our shores.

Authorities agree that while tihls Jaegar breeds in the Arctic right across the continent, “it is‘ much more common on the sea- board in migration than inland." To escape the winter rigor of its homeland it migrates south of the equator. but sisegglsrs from the main flight may locate at any intermediate point where food promises to be plentiful.

It was the celebrated Linnaeus who gave this bird the specific name of "parasiticusi" why he did so is not evident. "Praedatorius" would have been more appropri- ate. since the Jaegar has a very bod reputation." In summer, Parasitic Jaegars are a fearful scourge to the wild ducks and geese that breed on the bleak Arctic prairies." remarks C. S. Brlmley of North Carolina. “On tireless Mugs they best back and forth. searching the ground for the nests of these waterfowl.‘ Eggs and newly hatched young are consumed wherever found. as also are such small mammals. as mice and lcmmlngs. Tcrns nre chased and forced to disgorge the food they recentlv have eaten ‘ injured or disabled birds - I

(his subtlety ‘Whifih "H181 have Jlflphldiléd and torn to pieces h"

the Dreiser's sharply hooked beak." Parasitic Jlellr. A. o. ‘U. S1. Rare visitor. Plumage with two color phases. Light phase brown- ish. under-parts. breast neck. and face. white. Head with a bin" cap in both phases. Din-k phase. general color dark or blackish brown. slightly lighter below. fin- tcrmodiato strives of colnrniini- oCCllrl_ ifhc central pair of ’ " feat-hers arc slender, iviinlcrl. 'I' project ncnrlv 4 inchcs lat-i.» ' the others: they are not tvristcd. "me wings have the shafts of iii- first three feathers whit». and the rest suoci-ssivelv dari-cr. Eves brown: ‘bill ‘about 1.5 inches long!- sharplv hooked. t-he nostrils vicar its tip. Legs Bray-blue feet black. Total length l7 inc-hes Total tall lensth 8-25 inches-

Some Families of birds

when notes (such as those above) on our native birds. first appeared in this coltim-n. the" did 50 in answer to correspondents W}... 915d 5071f in specimens foi- nntnintz: and in ii few cases thcv wen. inspired by Rnmn personal Fucli notes were neoesstirilv without nnv particular swientifb- order or

writer's view, tended to rcdiucc their value. For the past few months. therefore. the birds

have been describcd accorcllni! 1° their proper Families. and “tas- ged" vzii-h the numerals specific- ally allotted to them by 111E Am‘ erican Ornithologlsts’ Union (A. O. U).

The Order Pygopotles was first dealt with: the word is trans- lated in some bird books as “Diving Birds" but this is mis- leading for many birds that dive do not belong to the Order. This word really means. “Rump-feet Birds". 1.e.. birds vnhose feet arc set so far back that they B" °b' liged to sit in an erect posizlktlaenv.

step in recognizing ihc bird. nit- OfdPl‘ is divided into ilircc

Families: (l) Colvmhlfllei '2‘

Gnviidae; i3) Alelflfll‘. ‘

To the first outing the (err-bf!- of which wc have three snocics. A.O.U. 2. a. and 6- q s of Bu have 5pp9m-gdl. Liviimm zit’: at a distance thc (in-hes 1111!‘! be mistaken for ducks. M

him-s;

The horse show st tbs-recent International Livo Stock Exposi- tion at Chicago was strong in Perchcrcns and Belgians. Canadian up too well. although several entries did not in tfmrfor the, judging. In the scene above. cro dii ill c Coliseum st Qlccgc are tense u the fudge picks the Percheron clssqtea. .

ill

O

classification. a fact which in the,

with their tails-such a5 have-on the ground. as partial l support. ‘Ifils marks thr- first

(Descriptions ~

11m; an: not; N01‘ snwwen m scnoor.

Blind Pasty Riuth Fergus, l6, is home with her Seeing-Eye dog trying to decide whether to give up her high school friends or the only eyes she has known. lie ‘can't take the gentle, pure white German shepherd to school any more. the school board insists. be- cause he is a "potential hazard" to the other students. They have offered to send Patsy a teoolter. but Patsy wants to be with her chums. Sixteen-month-old Lucky was: given her a few months ago by the Foundation of the Blind.

Progress of Soil Survey Work

(Experimental Farms News) Soil survey work has been con- ducted in all of the Eastern Pro- vinces by the Dominion Experi- mcntnl Farms Service in coopera-

tion with ilic Proviiit-iiil Depart- iiiciils of Agrrii-iilliirt‘ for viii-ions periods of time. The first siirvcys

were bcgun some Z0 years ago iii Ontario, while in Prince Edward Island this work was started only four years ago.