Evening star., 1886-11-27
THE TERRAPIN CROP.
Baltimore Dealers Say it will he . Big
One.

| INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE TooTHsoNE
DELICACY WHY THEY LOVE THE QUIET
CovEs OF THE CHEsAPEAKE-oLD DAYS TER
| RAPINs WERE DIRT CHEAP.
| Baltimore correspondent OF the Phfladel-
| phia Press says the diamond back terrapin
season has been open a couple of weeks now
| and enough time has elapsed to show what
| kind of a season it is to be. All the big
| dealers in Baltimore say that terrapin are
unusually plentiful and that the scare pro-
mulgated from New York is entirely unreasOn-
able and unsupported. Baltimore is the great
| est ferrapin market in the world, just as the
Chesapeake bay is the greatest feeding ground
TOR these reptiles. 1t is estimated that out
of this bay and its tributaries over 81, 100000
worth of terrapin are taken annually. At the
average price OF $50 q dozen this means 6OO, 900
terrapiD, and il requires the steady work OF over
500 men to catch them. Like the canvas-back
duck, the terrapin feeds chiefly on water celery
or water cress, and this grass is particularly
abundant in the Chesapeake, more so. in TACT
than in any other body of water IN the world.
This explains why the canvaS-back duck, after
leaving his British home farther north than
even New York aldermen go, flies straight to
the Chesapeake. 1t explains, too, why the
terrapin roost in its coves and refuse to leave
until taken away to grace the festivities OF the
banquet nall.
MODERN DISH.
And yet the terrapin is a comparatively re-
cent dish. Within the present century one Of
the great planters of Anne Arundel county
leaves it on record that he bought the best ter
rapln IN the Annapolis market Tor twelve and
a-halt cents each. and that his slaves once re-
belled because he gave them terrapin instead of
pork. Forty years ago old John M. Clayton,
the biggest statesman Delaware ever raised.a and
who was among the first to discover the almost
divine Succuience that reposeS In good dish OF
terrapin, bought them by the quantities, pay
ing 81 for an ox-cart load, which he would have
dumped in the cellar like ton of coal. Here
the terrapin lay all the winter, or until the de-
mands of the table had exhausted the stock. A
popularity OF the terrapin is that
STARVATION DOES NOT HURT 1T.
The biggest dealer in Baltimore nailed one in
box securely and gave it neither food nor
drink for three months. When he took it
out it weighed ounce more than it did
when he put it in. This sounds like a
Delaware river fish story, but it is solid
truth, nevertheless. 1t is said that Washington
sottened the asperities of Yorktown by dishes
of terraPn, but they evidently kept the deli
cacy TO themselves for il never attained any
great popularity until the last half century.
The demand for terrapir extends to every
city in this country and to Europe. No large
dinner is complete withoutit. Its growing pop
ularity in England is due entirely TO American
influence. Those who have never seen a Brit
iSher before whom is set tor the first time dish
of Ierrapin have missed study in facial ex-
preston that is as interesting it is amusing.
Invariably he gaZes at it as if it were plate of
boiled fishing worms. Then after much perSua-
sion he tastes il and
FOREvERMoRE HE Is FRIEND OF THE TERRA
PIN.
Baltimore. Philadelphia and Washington are
the cities where the dish can be found in its
most perfect excellence. The recipes are num-
erous, from the famous one OF Sam W ard which
captivated the Prince OF Wales, to all the mod
ern improvements; but the terrapin, like
beauty, is adorned the most when adorned the
least. and il should always be served hot. The
true way to enjoy terrapin is not to bury IL
amid the ruins OF multifarious bill of fare, but
to give it the whole field and plenty of favor
and sprirk kle the dry road that leads to the inte
rior department with occasional sips OF good
dry champagne. When q healthy man does
that he shut his eyes and say with clear
conscience that life is worth living.