Morning journal and courier., 1882-08-22
An Alligator Farm.
Judge Speeds Collection of One Thousan n
 Rentiles.


 Reptiles.
 ''If you want to see the alligator as he is." observed the colonel Eff you want to talk with that has been brought up with 'em, if you want a square view of the reptile in his native swamp, ride over to Judge Speeds plantation. The judge is the only man in South Carolina who can talk alligator and not tell lie"
 I did want to see the alligator in his na. tive jungle, and rode across the country and got down in front of an old time, old fashioned southern residence, with it's long verandas and beautiful shade. Half mile away were the first signs of the big bayou, and it was in that bayou that the alligator passed his years in basking and eating and keeping one eye out for the flash of shot, gun.
 "Yes, I own that bayou" said the judge, as we got seated; ''alligators and all. was figuring up the other day, and I calculated that was the owner of at least ,00O alliga- tors Of course, they come and go, but I calculate on 1000 reptiles which are steady tenants.''
 ''Any very big ones in there?" "A few. There are seven or eight old seekers which have been there for 30 years. If was pinched to it, think I could exhibit two three reptiles ct least 14 feet long and there is one there that will measure 20 if an inch"
 ''How long do they live ?'' "Well, that's a hard question. The big one I speak of has been personally known to us for over 40 years, and he doesn't show any signs of second childhood yet. l reckon the average alligator puts in from 50 to 70 years m this world of troxble."
 ''What do they eat ?''
 ''AIost everything An alligator is always hungry. When he can't get food he will chew away at pine log, just as hungry man will chew toothpick The big one de- voured steer for this spring. and was nosing around for more meat in half hour. l had calf tied up to that tree down there, one day last fall and reptile came out of the bayou and took him of, chain and all, and if he didn't swallow the chain we have never been able to find it. I have seen dar- key throw lem old plough point, and it would be swallowed at g gulp." "Are they dangerous to human beings :" Not if you sit here, but if there is man in this country who dares to cross that bay on in skiff at sundown he can have my plantation.
 "When are they the liveliest ?" Early ln the morning and after sundown. Let's see. It's after 10 now, and the sun is pretty hot, but guess can stir up a few" We walked down to the edge of the bayou and the noise we made in the grass and reeds brought score of shouts to the mud l dy surface. The judge had Q billet of wood 1 in lis hand and presently gave it toss far out on the water. In instant there was e l grand rush from all directions, followed by 8 ferocious fight over the billet, and his honor quietly observed:
 "There weren't over thirty in that crowd. l Let me call the dog"
 He whistled to one of the dogs left behind on the veranda, and when the animal reach | ed usit was encouraged to bark. That fetched l em. l believe that at least 300 alligators | put in an appearance inside of minute, some | content to remain stationary, others plung- | ing about and blowing and fighting. Louder King, louder, louder!" command. I ed the judge, and the dog parked as if he had treed coon; The number of reptiles | increased by at least hundred, and the water thrashed and paddled until the | odor from them was quite stiff. | Cant fool the old veterans that way, y observed the judge, as he turned away. l They are down on the muddy bottom or 1 lying in the weeds, and they know that this ] is only false pretense. Let darkey come l down with fish pole and that would mean business. They'd swim the bayou and not leave ripple. and crawl through the grass 1 as softly snake"
 1 'Is the alligator possessed of intelli- 1 gence?''
 You bet I regard him as keener than | the serpent and sharper than the fox. Let i one start to crawl to the house and he will | take advantage of the ground, and bushes
 and grass just as a wolf or tiger would" 1 ''And can you get rid of them ?" | Good lands but don't want to I want | to foster them I want lem to thrive and in.
 crease and multiply until the bayou won't
 hold 'em. Ten, fifteen twenty years
 hence the price of alligator hides will be four l times what it is now. And then I'll turn on 'em and make some money. That bayou is | my alligator farm. The seeds are there and
 plants are growing, and when I figure that l
 own 5000 good sized alligators, shall let
 cotton go for one season and send alligator
 hides to market. Bless you my boy, but
 wouldn't let man crack away with a rihe
 for a twenty dollar gold piece. He'd get | 'em nervous and skeery, and like enough my
 whole alligator farm wonld sail off down the
 river in search of new owner I want to
 keep lem right here. There's going to be
 big money in that sort of live stock before we are ten vearS older n