was also known that the Clows used so much lime on their farm that it was too strong in calcium to grow good grain but would grow excellent hay, silage and scabby potatoes.

These beds of calcareous breccia strata continue through and beyond South Freetown and there were

several lime kilns on the Drummond Road. One was located opposite Robert Dammarell’s former home (code 119). This strata was close to the surface in this area. As mentioned previously it reached depths of up to 60 feet in other places. There were other lime kilns in this area of South Freetown.

It is interesting to note that lime kilns in other areas of the province, Stanley Bridge, New London, Springfield, etc., burned lime stone that was brought to the province in ships as ballast when they came for cargoes of Island produce.

THE FOX INDUSTRY

A report on Fur Farming in Canada prepared by the Commission on Conservation in 1913 states that the fur value of a silver fox varied from $300 to $2,500 according to the quality ofthe pelt, but that the prices paid for foxes for breeding purposes far exceeded this. In 1910, foxes were sold for breeders at $3000 to $4000 per pair. In 1911, prices rose to $5000 a pair. In 1912, one pair sold for $20,000 and in the latter part of 1912 old breeders were valued from $18,000 to $35,000 a pair. It was estimated that in October 1912 there were about 800 silver foxes in captivity in Canada of which about 650 were in P.E.I.: Alberton, Summerside, Charlottetown and Montague were the principal points for the industry on P.E.I. So high was the speculative fever running in the industry in 1913 that many pups had been purchased and were partly paid for months

before they were born.

A reliable source reports that the first Fox Ranch in Freetown was in 1912 on the farm of George D. Jardine. George and three of his brothers: Dr. Fred, Dr. John and James were the entrepreneurs. The ranch was located in the woods behind the barns and was called the Freetown Fox Co. Mr. Calvin Reeves, Lower Freetown, was also one of the early pioneers in fox ranching. He was reported as once selling a pair of breeders

for $9,000.

In 1913 the Freetown Fox Ranching Co. was formed by Jonah Lewis, Charles E. Taylor, Artemas Burns, Sterling Burns, Milledge Van Buskirk, Fred R. Corbett, Roy Burns, Frank Deacon, Scott Jardine, John MacCaull, Joseph Lewis and Artemas MacCaull. The company had captial stock of $30,000 in 300 shares @ $100 each. The company was to begin operations when $10,000 worth of shares were sold. It is not known if indeed the company began operations.

Alfred Reeves, a son of Calvin’s, got into the business in 1922. In 1921, B. Douglas Jardine, father of Andrew M. Jardine, purchased his first breeding stock from the J ardine Bros. Company. This ranch continued after Douglas’ death and reached a peak of 400 foxes in 1938. Andrew showed foxes at The Fox Show held in Borden Rink in 1938 and had the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Fox ofthe show. Mr. Robert Reeves South Freetown was another rancher who got into raising foxes in his late teens. Among those who kept foxes in Freetown in the late twenties and early thirties were: Edison Dammarell, Samuel Drummond, Eldon Drummond, Colby Lewis, Jonah Lewis, Fred Stetson, Woodland Simmons, Everett Schurman, Ralph R. Burns, Colin Campbell, John Campbell, Fenton Simmons, Jesse Burns and John Jardine. Most ofthese

ranches ceased operation in the nineteen forties.

Unfortunately a combination of overproduction, changes in fashions, and the depression of the nineteen thirties spelled the end of the fox industry. In recent years though, there has been a modest revival and a renewed interest in the fur business. A few ranches are now in operation in the Freetown area: Elwood Paynter, Lawrence Banman, Jesse Burns, Robert J. Jardine, Walter Simmons and Wendell Taylor.

THE FLAX INDUSTRY IN F REETOWN Flax is a grain crop grown in various parts of Europe, Asia, North and South America. There are however,

two distinct types of flax grown for different purposes, and harvested in completely different ways.

In Canada, the United States, South America and some other places, flax is grown for its seed which is very high in oil content. This grain is combined and the seed is processed to form “Linseed Oil” with the well known by—product “Linseed Oil Meal” used so extensively in animal feeds. A little of the straw is processed

for its fibre and is used in the manufacture of high grade paper for bank notes.

In Belgium, Holland, France, Russia and a few other countries, flax is grown primarily for the fibre in its straw. In this case the crop is not combined but pulled out of the ground so that the full length of the fibre may be used. In the early days this pulling was done by hand, making it a very labour-intensive industry. Today it is all pulled by machine. While raised for its fibre, the seed also has an oil content, and is usually shipped for linseed oil manufacture.

6O