The bee., 1883-05-19
SNAIL FARMING.
How n Is Carried On In +, ance-Snaiis as q
steady Dict.

FRENCH cookery, we have not yet
carried the imitation of our continental
neighbors 50 far as to allow the snail
on our table. 1t would be incorrect
to say that these creatures are never
eaten in England, for annual festivals
known as "snail feasts are we'll
known in the north, and in all parts of
the country there is popular notion
that sna.lS are an excellent diet for
con sumptive people; but those who
indulge the taste form so small a
minority of the population that the
eating OF snails may be fairly de-
scribed as repugnant to the national
feeling. We have, however, only to
cross the Straits of Dover to find the
snail recognized as little inferior to the
oyster while his marine cousin, the
periwinkle, SO much eaten in England
by the working classes, is rarely seen
in the inland towns of France. In that
country all kinds of snails are con-
sidered edible; but. it is the large
variety-generally known as the Bur-
gundy snail, although they are to be
found all over Southern Europe-o1
which the highest price is set. These
are the kind which every visitor to
Paris has seen in wine-shop windows,
and which he has probably seen a near
neighbor at restaurant devouring
with serene inconsistencies of spelling
anOther's appetite. Burgundy snai's
are near.y double the size Of the
common garden variety, and the color
of the shells is much lighter. They
are frequently called eScvgotS de rtgne,
on the supposition that they live ON
vine-leaves. This notion is partly cor
rect. The vineyards of the South are
their natural home; but since snail
farming became lucrative business
in France. the much-prized eSgqryotS
have not been allowed to have their
own way in this matter.
1t is in Burgun ly, and especially in
the department of the Aude. that
snal-raising is carried to perfection.
The system employed is as follows:
The snailS are collected from the vines
toward the end of summer, and are
then placed in enclosures dignife; by
the name of parks to fatten on
thyme, peppermint and other herbs
which experience has proved TO be
most suitable. A damp and shady
nook is selected for the park" and
the prisoners are kept within bounds
by the simple contrivance of sawdust
and brambles. This does very well in
dry weather; but when it rains the
farmers wife and chiljr:n must be
constantly on the alert to turn back
the runaways. The fattening process
goes ON until the approach of winter,
when tufts of moss and bundles of
dry leaves are thrown into the park.
Into these the snailS creep, anil then,
to increase their comfort, proceed tu
seal themselves up in their shells.
In the case of Burgundy snails, the
sealing substance exuded forms thick
c;tlcareous crust. When the creatures,
have completed their arrangements for
alternating is just the time when they
are considered in prime condition for
the table The full-grown ones are
then used as they are wanted for the
market, the young ones being left to
swell the next years crop. Nature
having furnished snails with extraordi-
nary powers of reproduction, each in
dividual being both mae and female,
and the outlay in snail-farming being
represented only 10y the time and
trouble spent in collecting them and
keeping them from straying, they must
be source of considerable revenue to
the small cultivators of Burgundy.
Large profits must be gained by all
concerned in the business, when we
consider that snails when cooked are
sold in Paris at about franc (twenty
cents) dozen.
About the preparation of snails for
the table much might be written.
Several methods of cooking them are
in France. The favorite
method is la bourguignonne. In
whatever form they may appear at
table, the preliminary preparation is
the same. There is a fixed law that
the snail must have tasted a consider
able time before it is eaten. When
the creatures have entered the hiber-
mating state they are willing enOughto
fast; but at other times-and they are
eaten more or less all the year round
they have to endure prolonged pangs
of hunger as apuriIying process before
the serious business of dressing them
commences. The peasants method is
to throw salt upon them, and to put
them afterward into boiling water; but
the most approved manner is to boil
them at once in salt water and ashes
until they can be drawn from their
shells. Supposing they are to be
cooked la bourguignonne, the shells
are carefully washed and laid on one
side. Parsley, garlic. chives or escha-
lotes, mushrooms and butter are then
chopped up together into paste. A
little of this is put into the empty
shell, and the snail, after being washed,
is restored to its dwelling, and the
opening is finally filled up with the
paste. They are then baked in dish
of white wine for half an hour, with
fire above and below them. From
this description it will be rightly in
ferred that to cook snails la bour-
guignonne is no simple matter.-St
James Gazette.