The report at the end of this article will enable any boy or girl who
wishes to exchange pet stock to see at a glance the market valuation
placed upon such things as young people would probably like to deal in.
In making up this report I have avoided the very high selling prices,
and often the very low prices paid by dealers, but have taken the
figures of dealers who are satisfied with a fair profit. Purchasers of
pet stock will do well to bear in mind that prices vary greatly
according to the season of the year, as, for instance, a month previous
to the holidays the prices range the highest. During the hot midsummer
months, when the young folks are in the country, the demand falls off
greatly, so that dealers are forced to reduce the amount of stock on
hand and the prices to the lowest figures.
The valuation of pet stock also varies according to the age, shape,
color, and purity of breed, and the amount of intelligence or training
possessed by the animal. The supply and demand also regulate the market
price, as, for instance, I have known gold-fish of best size and color
to be disposed of to dealers as low as two dollars per hundred in the
months of June, July, and August, but during the months of October,
November, and December the same quality of fish rose in price to ten and
fifteen dollars per hundred. A caprice of fashion for any particular
variety of animal or class of pet stock will often run up the price with
dealers.
There is no reason why boys should complain of having nothing to do,
when there are so many things that can be raised by them for the New
York market that yield a fair profit, and often a large one. By clubbing
together, some might raise white pigeons, for which there is so steady a
demand and high prices paid. Or a pond might be constructed for raising
golden carp, or gold-fish, or German carp. Just think of it: here is the
United States government offering, through Professor Baird, thousands of
German carp, which have been carefully bred, for free distribution to
any persons who have a suitable pond or ponds in any part of the United
States. When I was a boy there was hardly any demand for gold-fish, and
the German carp was unknown in America; now there is a steady demand for
the golden carp at six and eight dollars per hundred, and German carp
sells readily at ten and fifteen cents a pound.
Think of all the books, papers, magazines, printing-presses, and
scroll-saws that might be purchased with money earned by some such
pleasant occupation!
What lots of fun could be had. How much could be learned about the
natures and habits of the lower animals. When any of them might die they
could be stuffed or set up, thus learning a lesson in taxidermy, or
their skeletons might be prepared and set up, and a lesson on
comparative anatomy learned. Also studies in pencil or India ink of
animal life might be made. Then, again, the club could have a rabbit pie
once in a while.