Fur Farmers in the U.S.A. Today.

CLACKAMAS CHINCHILLA FARM - Clackamas, Oregon. (Mr and Mrs Ralph L. Herrick.) This farm was established in 1943. The Herricks were pioneers in introducing chinchillas into Oregon territory. Mr Herrick was formerly engaged in sugar refinery and railroad work. They now devote all their time to the chinchilla industry and chinchilla organization work. They were married in 1937 and have one son. They are interested in educational work on the chinchilla industry and in 1948 donated a pair to the Washington Zoo in Portland. The Herricks have been consistent winners at the United States chinchilla shows.

NIRSCHL & QUINLIN FUR FARM - 3231 S.E. 170th Ave., Portland 66, Oregon. (Lewis Nirschl and Cliff Quinlin.) Both Mr Nirschl and Mr Quinlin are married, and they are engaged in the mink industry exclusively, the ranch being established in 1936. For years they have been prize-winners at various shows including the western Canadian shows.

NORTHWOOD FUR FARMS - Cary, Illinois. (Otto Grosse.) This is the largest individually-owned fur farm in the world and had its beginning when Mr Grosse became interested in fox raising as a hobby in 1928.

With three other men he built and managed the Algonquin Fox Farm, but this was split up in 1936. Mr Grosse then started on his own with 165 pairs of foxes and established this new farm in 1936, which is a monument and a credit to the fur farming industry.

To give an idea of the size of his farm, the mixer for cutting up the food holds 3500 pounds, which requires a 50-horsepower motor to drive it. The cold storage on the farm can handle two million pounds of frozen meat.

He has made some of the biggest sales of breeding stock in the industry and it is nothing unusual for him to sell 200 to 400 animals at a time to one buyer.

Mr Grosse was appointed chairman of the National Board Fox Advertising campaign and gave almost a full year of his time to put the programme in operation. Also, he was chairman on the Advisory Committee. He is married and has one son and one daughter.

SUN VALLEY CHINCHILLA RANCH - 1282 Sunset Loop, Walnut Creek, California. (James Dobson.) Mr Dobson was born December 25th, 1921; is a graduate of the University of California where he majored in business administration and advertising. He was a former manager for F. W. Woolworth Company at Oakland, Calif. His hobbies are photography and golf. At present, in addition to raising chinchillas, he is sales representative for chinchillas, mink, marten, nutria and hamsters. He was married February 8th, 1947, and has two children, a boy and a girl. He is a member of the Chinchilla Association of America, Oakland Chinchilla Club, Chinchilla Institute of America, National Chinchilla Breeders Association, and is also a member of the Oakland Junior Chamber of Commerce and Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce.

THWAITES' NUTRIA FARM - 1771 Grand River Drive, Ada, Michigan. (Dr. Walter G. Thwaites.) Dr. Thwaites was born in Alpena, Michigan, 1890. He is Doctor of Osteopathy, Surgery and Radiologist. His farm was established in 1944. Dr. Thwaites has long been interested in the raising of nutria and now has established a farm where he is producing outstanding stock successfully. His chief hobbies are hunting and devoting his time to the raising of nutria, although he is also a radiologist at Muskegon Hospital. He is married and has one son in Spokane, Washington. He is a member of the Michigan Fur Breeders' Association.