Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-17
THE TERRAPIN INDUSTRY.
How the Delicaey il s'Farmed'' Al
Maryland.


Over s1,5OO,O 900 of diamond back terrapin
are taken out of the Chesapeake bay and its
| tributaries every year. AS the price averages
$50 adoZen, this represents GOO, 900 terrapin
annaully. During the season 500 men are en-
gagged in catching them. They are found on
both sides of the bay, from its mouth to its head,
and they are particually abundant in the numer-
| Gus rivers and inlets which branch off from the
Chesapeake. Like the canvas-back duck, the
terrapin feeds chiefly on water celery or water
cress, and the place where this grass grows
| thickly is always terrapin feeding-ground. 1t
Is fact well known that this celery is found In
greater luxuriance in the Chesapeake than In
any other body of water in the world, and this
explains why duck and terrapin frequent its
waters more numerousIy than anywhere
else. baltimore letter to the Telegram says:
One OF the big rivers that makes off from
the Chesapeake is the Patuxent. 1t winds
South Maryland until it reaches Nothing
marks. Thence to the bay it is navigable
and Is full of the veget"tiOn that delights
u the terrapin as much as the terrapin de-
lower part of the river, which reaches width
of several miles at its mouth, the reptiles reach
the most toothsome perfection. The Telegram's
correspondent, during a visit there this week,
witnessed the methods of capture. Terrapin
catching cannot be called steady employ ment.
sometimes, said an old negro. who divides
his time betweenfishing and terrapin hunting,
II ketches a half dozen of 'em day. Then agin
is like ketchin fish. You can't ketch EN- eff
you think they is"
Luck naturally enters very largely into
terrapin catching, but experience shows when
the most abound. Good catcherS know the
luxurious growth Of water rel q ery they lie low
for their prey, as that is pretty sure to be q
terrapin feeding ground. The old darkey and
the writer went out in the river to try their
luck. The boat used was a small skill. We pad
died on to aspaciouS inlet that branched of from
the river proper, and then the operations were
begun A small iron dredge was thrown over
board and dragged along a dozen yards or more,
but when it was up there was nothing in 1T eX-
"TerrapinS pears Skurce to-day"
The boat was padded on to a corner of the in
let, which was shaded by large trees, and which
looked so snug and comfortable that it might
be taken as the lOafing place of all the gentle
men terrapins ofPatuxent river. Uncle Eph,
enjoining me to be silent, picked up hand-net
and waited for a few minutes with impressive
quetness, anXiously peering into the water
side of the boat. Soon after he repeated this
performance. Again it was repeated. Then
suddenly dipping his net into the water. he
diamond back.
Nov, this here fellow" explained Uncle
Eph, "lost hisself for havin' too much curiosity.
TarrapinS is like wimmen-they re too curious.
If this fellow had stayed hid he'd been all
right, but soon's raped on the boat he comes
out to see what's the matter, and gifts hissef
this world
Curiosity is one of the strongest traits of the
terrapin: and the ruse practiced by Uncle Eph
is favOrite one among terrapin catchers
for attracting the reptiles from their hiding
places. There are two other methods of capture
besides the dredge and net. One is seine
heavily loaded at the bottom. as to shut in
the terrapin, and the other is u three-pronsed
trident except that the prOngs are placed
triangulariy. With this the catcher wades into
the water and prods it into the mud until he
feels something move, and then reaches down
for the diamond backs. Frequently oystermen
haul up terrapin in their dredges.
is of recent date. Within the present century
one of the great planters of Ann Arundel
county leaves 1t on record that he bought the
best terrapin in the Annapolis market for 12ta
cents each, and that his slaves once rebelled
because he gave them terrapin instead OF pork.
The largest dealer in Baltimore told the writer
that it took the hardest kind of work thirty
years ago to sell 81 900 worth of terripan at
1romSS to S1Oa dozen. LAST season., he said
II sold over 100000 worth. and my sales
got the terrapin." The o season proper ne ex-
tends from about the middle of November to
the 1st OF April. but if any one wants terrapin
now, and is willing TO pay tor them, they can
be easily obtained. This year the demald
promises to- be much larger than the supply,
and prices will range corrcspOndingiy.
Terrapin farming is an undevcloped industry
in Maryland; but where il is judiciously
followed ii yields fair returns. The first farm was
started i'll somerset county by United States
Senator Dennis, who began the enterprise for
his personal accommodation. The biggest farm
Is in Calvert county, on the PatGXent river,
and it consists OF a large salt wafer lake, many
acres in extent, and spacious enough to accom-
modate thousands of terrapin, Inthis the pro-
preiOr placed number of terraDin, and they
multiplied rapidly. Tie hatcheries consist of
boards partly filled with sand, and are SO SO ar
ranged that when the females enter they cam
got get out until taken out. The young terra
pin are kept i'll the nursery about ten months
cr year, because the Old masculine terrapins
said To have a bad habit of eating the tender
young members of their tribe. The curiosity
referred to by Uncle Eph has enabled the pro-
prie;or of the farm TO train the terrapin so that
they respond when he calls them at feeding
time. Another farm, in which some New York
gentlemen are interested, has been started in
Talbot county. 1t has IL sand beach for laying
and Matching, and it is surrounded by we'll
built board fence 10 keep out muskrats.