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GOIN’ TO THE CORNER

The Agriculturist in February and March 1913 published lengthy accounts head- lined: Three Residents of Eldeale Arraigned on Charges of Conspiring to Steal Foxes from a

Ranch.

Many residents of Elmsdale, ElmsdaleWest and Brockton raised foxes. Some were large operations and others had a few pens to supplement their income. Some of the

fox ranchers we have been able to identify were:

Undoubtedly there are others whose identities are unknown.

" MUSSEL MUD DIGGING '

The term “mussel mud” was used to describe the riCh mud from the river bottom that contained clam and mussel shells as well as large quantities of oyster shells. These abundant shells provided the lime needed to replenish the soil. ‘

The mussel mud shell beds were anywhere from eight to twepty feet deep and were staked out on the Mill River and Hill’s River in late fall or early Winter when the ice was thick enough to carry the Weight of the operators. They usually found the beds quite close to the channel, so they had to be very careful searching out and placing

their markers for later.

Mussel mud was not used very much until the 1860S because it was too difficult to

harvest from a boat. However, the invention of a horse-powered machine to dig the mud in winter changed that situation. In 1872 William MacKenzie of Lot 48 in—

vented a mussel mud fork, making it easier to retrieve the mussel mud.

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