Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-08
;
AN ARKANSAS SNAKE FARM.
A Grewsome Place Where Rattlers Are
Raised for Market.


Raised for Market.
J. E. Childs has a monopoly of snake
cultivation and the production of rattle
snake oil in Arkansas, in which state is To-
Gated what is known through that coun-
try as the Childs snake farm. This pecu-
liar and unenvied enterprise is situated in
the suburbs of this little village in the
northeastern part of the state, where
snakes especially rattlers, are found in
abundance.
are caught and handled is enough to make
cold chills run over persons who are timid.
Twenty live cents to one dollar per pound
for rattlesnakes, however, makes it an in
ducement for the natives who live near
good market to hunt and catch rattlers for
livelihood, and here is how they do it:
Two men in search for profit in the
snake industry go together. One of them
carries a long forked pole, or cane, and
when a snake is found this pole is used to
hold the reptile to the ground, which is
done by pressing the pole down upon the
snake just back of the head. The other
snake hunter carries strong cord, which
is looped over the head Of the poisonous
prey and is then used for carrying the rep
tile to market, which, however, is done
without injury to the snake. Other hunt
ers use the pole in the way described, but
instead of bringing their captives to
market by means Of the string they use
box which has sliding lid, and which can
be operated with ease and out of reach of
the cOoped up rattler.
When the snake catchers arrive at the
residence Of Mr.. Childs the latter, in care
less like manner takes the matter in hand,
and il box of rattlers, for instance, is
brought to him, he removes the lid of the
box and takes the snake wild from the
woods) out just as one would reach in for
and take hold of rabbit. The rattler, as
soon as the top Of this cage has been taken
Oft, sets up continuous rattle and Kisses
fearfully. Mr.. Childs, however, pays no
attention to this little racket, but simply
takes the snake to his farm, weighs it, pays
the catcher and is then ready for repeti-
ton of the act A good big rattlesnake will
weigh from six to ten pounds, and if fat
will be worth nearly or quite as many dol
lars.
The size of the snake farm is about half
an acre. with tightly closed pen in it's
center, which is the abiding place of the
snakes. Here the ugly reptiles are kept
and fattened, and when they are ready to
be put under process for the production of
oil the reptiles heads are neatly chopped
off and by means of a string are tied, head
upward, to the side of the pen where the
sun is brightest. The heat Of the sun, it is
said, causes the oil of the snakes to drip
out and it is caught in receptacle and laid
aside to be subsequently sold at from s1.5O
to 50 an ounce or from $50 to s32 pint.
Mr.. Childs is said to be the only genuine
producer of rattlesnake oil in this country.
When quite young he herded in Dakota,
and here it was that he formed the friend
ship of rattlesnakes-a friendship which,
he states, has grown until now he will
pick up rattler wild from his den with
as little fright as he gathers the innocent
rabbits and toads which he constantly feeds
to his captives. (Ark) Letter