Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-03

and not finding the former At home when he
called to deliver this present he left the seed
without any indication concerning its origin.
This author observes that the seed Is sown in
April; that the head Of the plant is cut in Sep
TENDER to let the cotton spread, which is
gathered in October; that the plants are left in
the ground three or four years and are staked
every spring. like raspberry plants in England;
that this method saves the trouble of annual
sowing and cultivation; and, he adds. that
square piece of fruitful soil, containing four
hundred and twenty geometrica yards, pro-
duces five hundred pounds of cotton.
THE SOIL OF THE ISLAND.
''The soil Of General Mason's island and of the
neighboring tracts of land is good for cotton,
but the summer ia not long enough to bring
the plant to maturity. and it is liable to be
injured by frost before tits ripe. General Mason
cultivates q species of maize (zea-mays), the
leaves Of which, of q deep purple colour, are
employed as dye. For this purpose they are
gathered before the grain ripens, when they
contain the greatest quantity of sap. With
mordaunts of alum and copperas wool is dyed
of different shades of purple. The plant is
vigorous and has a great number of grains. /
had the honour representing some of the seeds
to the Empress Josephine who sowed them
with her own hand in the gardens of NAL
maison, where they gave a luxuriant produce.
RESORT OF REPTILES.
'This island is the resort of various reptiles.
We found the nest of the terrapin. or fresh
water turtle, in the garden, at the distance of
about thirty feet from the water, containing
nineteen eggs, laid close to each other and the
interstices filled with earth. The greater cir
conference of the egg was four inches and
half; the lesser, three. The nest or hole was
OF an oval form and four inches in depth. The
eggs of this species are deposited from the first
of June to the middle of July. Before the
turtle commences the formation Of the hole for
her eggs she urines on the spot then scrapes
out little earth, again urines and thus con-
tinues until the operation is finished I saw
another nest, from which the turtle was taken
at a moment when she had placed herself in an
almost erect position to deposit her eggs. which
she always performs during the day. and, it is
said, never returns to the spot The young
ones are Matched by the heat Of the sun and
are supposed to remain in the nest till spring.
Several persons whom consulted on this sub
ject assured me that they have turned them up
with the plough at this season. The turtle,
when shaken before she lays hereggs, makes
hollow noise, as if she contained water One
in this state weighed six pounds, which, it ap-
pears, is the common size.
TERRAP1N SOUP.
''The species known by the name Of the ter
rapin is very shy and ceases to walk as soon as
1t sees person approach near it. When
endeavoring to escape it runs nearly as fast
duck. The blacks make soup and eat the eggs
OF this species, of which they are very fond.
The swapping turtle is also seen i'm the waters
OF this river. some Of which weigh from forty
| to fifty pounds and lay forty or fifty eggs.
General Mason some years ago caught one of a
huge size, which he threw into his canoe, and
it attacked him SO furiously therein that he
was obliged to leap into the water The reptile
followed and thus made its escape. Its bite is
severe and dangerous.
PAINTED TORTOISE.
1.-TWO species of fresh water tortoise inhabit
the island-namely, the painted tortoise (enays
picta or testudO picta), and the streaked tor
toise (emys cirgulatd). The sternum OF the first
with ten compartments, is almost as long as
the shell, truncated at the extremities and SOL
IDLY united 10 the shell. OF which the plates of
the disk, thirteen in number. are bordered with
irregular yellow stripes. In its circumference
there are twenty-five pieces. The anterior part
is narrow and nearly of an equal breadth; the
head is flattened, of a blackish colour with vel
low spots The anterior feet are half palmated
and the hinder are wholly palmated. The tail
appears considerably beyond the she'll The
other species has been described by Bose I'M
der the name of e,nyde or fresh water turtle;
by Latreille, under that of the small striped
turtle; and by Lacepede. under that of Ia bonn
be. The head Of the painted turtle manifested
symptoms of life two hours after decapitation
Three cherry stones were found in the stomach.
1t is said that small snails are its daily food
This species is not eaten.
THE MUsKRAr
inhabits the banks of this island. The surface
being now cleared there is no place for Its
habitatiOn, which was formerly constructed of
vegetable substances in the midst of the reeds
of II marsh, and was generally five or six feet in
height and as many in breadth. The family
reDosed in dry and neat apartment above the
surface of the water, into which they descended
when attacked and retreated by a subterranean
passage to a neighboring stream. II the
family were numerous there were three such
passages; If otherwise, one or two only. A
method OF taking them, practiced by the saw
ages, was to discover and intercept this COM
munication by means Of knots of twisted grass
The animal then returned to the water under
its abode, where, forced to seek air, it showed
its head, and was struck dead with stick or
club.
HOW MUsKRATs WERE KILLED.
The muskrat abounds in the swamp adjoin-
ing the Potomac bridge and is killed by the
blacks in a curious manner. square board.
bearing a considerable weight of stones or
mud, is placed in an inclined position and is
supported by three sticks in particular man.
ner Parsnips are put underneath. of which
the rats are very fond. While devouring them
they necessarily move one of these sticks by
which the board suddenly falls and brushes
them to death. The skin sells at Is cents.
DUCKS AND GEESE.
''The deer, wild turkey, canvas back duck and
wild goose, which inhabited this place about fifty
years ago have, all disappeared. This species
of duck, so delicious to the taste, was then sold
for sixpence. The following method was for
merly employed to kill the wild goose: This
bird shy and cunning. feeds in the midst of a
plain or open field and forms regular line. at
the extremity of which is placed centinel to
give warning in case Of danger; which, if re-
mote, is indicated by a certain position of the
head, and if imminent by a certain cry. The
sportsman, by means of a docile horse, which
| concealed him from the view. approached
slowly, until he brought them within the reach
of his gun.
by an act of 1870 the shooting Of deer was
prohibited from the LIST Of January to the LIST
of August The penalty 400 pounds of
tobacco. BY other acts of 1928 any master,
mistress, owner of family or single taxable
person was obliged to produce yearly to the
justice of the county three squirrel scalps or
crows heads. The penalty in this case was
three pounds of tobacco. A premium of two
pounds given for every scalp more than
three. The reward for q VOLTS head was 200
pounds.
BIRDS OF MANY KINDS.
"Annalostan Island abounds with birds of va
rious kinds. The catbird is almost tame. When
the nest is in danger it makes loud noise and
seems as if it would tear the face of the person
partridge nest containing nineteen eggs. The
humming bird frequents this place. When
caught it feigns death, like the opossum. and
by this means escapes from the hand We saw
one thus escape from the pretty hand of Mrs
Re The mOckinO bird does not ent