Bright with Silver, first published in 1947, it has been nearly sixty years since Kathrene Pinkerton wrote Bright with Silver. This study of the famous Fromm brothers and their endeavor and persistence to breed a very rare and valuable type of fox would become a landmark history of American entrepreneurship. The simple beauty and elegance of the silver fox would be the fulfillment of the brothers' struggles to build a fur breeding empire. The story of the Fromm brothers that Pinkerton provides is a classic study of ingenuity and stick-to-itiveness that for so many years became a trademark of these four brothers. The intricate and complex history of their endeavors began with growing ginseng. This included intense observations of the plant that would provide the conditions, which eventually yielded abundant harvests that resulted in the necessary cash to start their fur business. Of course, the main story of Pinkerton is how the dreams of a perfect silver fox culture had overtaken the Fromm's possessions, thoughts and lives. The continual endeavor to find the right strain for their silver fox breed and their devotion to medical research that would ease the ravages of disease that could plague these precious animals would be the story that Pinkerton does so very well. It is without doubt that these four brothers, Walter, Edward, John, and Henry brought to the central Wisconsin landscape a business enterprise that played a large part in the economic development of this part of the state. Their story has all the ingredients of imagination, creativity, and great business sense. This edition brings back the story of the Fromm brothers that has been long gone, and sorely missed from the Wisconsin literary scene. Included are 32 pages of photographs.

Tucked away in Siberia, there are furry, four-legged creatures with wagging tails and floppy ears that are as docile and friendly as any lapdog. But, despite appearances, these are not dogs—they are foxes. They are the result of the most astonishing experiment in breeding ever undertaken—imagine speeding up thousands of years of evolution into a few decades. In 1959, biologists Dmitri Belyaev and Lyudmila Trut set out to do just that, by starting with a few dozen silver foxes from fox farms in the USSR and attempting to recreate the evolution of wolves into dogs in real time in order to witness the process of domestication. This is the extraordinary, untold story of this remarkable undertaking. Most accounts of the natural evolution of wolves place it over a span of about 15,000 years, but within a decade, Belyaev and Trut’s fox breeding experiments had resulted in puppy-like foxes with floppy ears, piebald spots, and curly tails. Along with these physical changes came genetic and behavioral changes, as well. The foxes were bred using selection criteria for tameness, and with each generation, they became increasingly interested in human companionship. Trut has been there the whole time, and has been the lead scientist on this work since Belyaev’s death in 1985, and with Lee Dugatkin, biologist and science writer, she tells the story of the adventure, science, politics, and love behind it all. In How to Tame a Fox, Dugatkin and Trut take us inside this path-breaking experiment in the midst of the brutal winters of Siberia to reveal how scientific history is made and continues to be made today. To date, fifty-six generations of foxes have been domesticated, and we continue to learn significant lessons from them about the genetic and behavioral evolution of domesticated animals. How to Tame a Fox offers an incredible tale of scientists at work, while also celebrating the deep attachments that have brought humans and animals together throughout time.

Pp. 34.

From the foregoing it is evident that silver foxes can be and in fact, are being propagated in confinement. Like most new enterprises, fox raising is a business regarding which opinions vary. The favorable facts are that silver foxes are easily and securely kept in simple wire inclosures; that suitable food for them is cheap and easily obtainable; that they are not subject to serious diseases and that their disposition and quality of their fur can be improved by selective breeding. Opposed to these are the unfavorable facts that they are by nature suspicious, nervous, and not inclined to repose confidence in man; and that, largely for these reasons, they do not breed regularly and successfully, except when cared for by experienced persons more or less gifted in handling them. The number of persons now engaged in the business is relatively small, and the work is still experimental, yet many of the initial difficulties already have been overcome. Numerous minor failures seem explainable in large measure, and are offset by several conspicuous successes. It is therefore probable that under proper management fox raising will be developed into a profitable industry, and it is perhaps not too much to expect that a domestic breed of foxes will be produced. Only time can show how far such expectations will be realized, but present indications must be regarded as very encouraging.

From the foregoing it is evident that silver foxes can be and in fact, are being propagated in confinement. Like most new enterprises, fox raising is a business regarding which opinions vary. The favorable facts are that silver foxes are easily and securely kept in simple wire inclosures; that suitable food for them is cheap and easily obtainable; that they are not subject to serious diseases and that their disposition and quality of their fur can be improved by selective breeding. Opposed to these are the unfavorable facts that they are by nature suspicious, nervous, and not inclined to repose confidence in man; and that, largely for these reasons, they do not breed regularly and successfully, except when cared for by experienced persons more or less gifted in handling them. The number of persons now engaged in the business is relatively small, and the work is still experimental, yet many of the initial difficulties already have been overcome. Numerous minor failures seem explainable in large measure, and are offset by several conspicuous successes. It is therefore probable that under proper management fox raising will be developed into a profitable industry, and it is perhaps not too much to expect that a domestic breed of foxes will be produced. Only time can show how far such expectations will be realized, but present indications must be regarded as very encouraging.

Written at the turn of the 20th century, this book is a comprehensive guide to breeding and raising silver foxes for their luxurious fur. Osgood covers all aspects of fox farming, from selecting breeding stock to building and managing a fur farm. This book is of historical interest to those interested in the fur trade and animal husbandry. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.