er.

The value of a skunk skin depends mainly on its size and markings, they
being graded by the buyers entirely by the amount of black fur,
providing, of course, that the skin is prime and well handled. There is
a considerable difference in respect to sizes and markings of the
average catches of the various sections. From some parts of the country
they will run quite large, in other parts small, and while in one
section they will run perhaps ninety per cent. long stripes, in other
parts of the country the black and short stripe grade predominates. Of
course the skunks of the South are not as well furred as those found
farther north.

Being slow moving animals, they can not catch the more active animals
and birds as do the other members of the weasel family and their food
consists mainly of mice, insects and grubs, also on the eggs and young
of such birds as nest on the ground. They are very fond of poultry and
frequently visit the poultry houses, killing the young birds. They also
feed on carrion. When they can get it they will eat almost any kind of
animal food. Even in the wild state the skunk is not, strictly speaking,
a carnivorous animal as they will eat and in fact are fond of sweet corn
when in a milky state, also sweet potatoes, melons and wild fruits.

They have no means of defense other than their scent, but this is
sufficient in many cases and the majority of people will give them a
wide berth. This scent is only used when alarmed or frightened and in
captivity there is no trouble whatever from this source as they soon
learn that there is no occasion for alarm and become quite tame.

PAST EXPERIMENTS.--Beyond all doubt the skunk has been given more
consideration by raisers of fur-bearers than any other animal, with the
exception of the fox. There are many who have tried raising these
animals with more or less success and where the experimenters have used
good judgment and have given the subject all of the attention it
deserves, they have been reasonably successful. Most of these people
have started in on a small scale, having perhaps only a dozen or two of
skunks to start with; in fact, nowhere has the business been carried on
as extensively as some newspaper articles would lead one to believe; the
majority of these parties having at the most only two or three hundred
animals. One of the largest ranches was located in Eastern Pennsylvania,
but for various reasons this venture was a failure.

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