St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-11-11

A SPIDER FARM.
ssvss.l rAsssa.A Lisiss ssseips.s c.s~
fully Tended la Oas Roe0.
Many win be inclined 70 discredit
tia statement that spilier-raising Is an
established industry in Chattanooga,
aad is being successfully conducted by
Ernest Reyber. the proprietor of tho
Enterprise bottlng works on Cowart
street. Mr.. Reyber estimates that be-
tween 5000 and 5000 Of these insects
ma}1e their homes In his bottling de-
paifment, which occupies large room
prchdbly sixty feet square. The cell
| In g fairly Covered With thousands
upon thousands Of little patches Of
hbery material, within which the in
sects nest and lay their eggs. At this
season they spend little time Ia their
nests. but in day time hide in dark.
out-of-the-way cracks and corners, but
In easy command of their woven snareA
Spider-webs are everywhere. span
ming the space between 6oor and cell
iny or spread about the machinery, in
front Of the window-wherever. In
fact, the busy weavers can And . place
from which 70 hang their net work.
A big corner of the room is besides
given mp to the insects. which have sp-
parently divided, the space into many
1our-walled apartments. 49,.
Mr. Reber is . pleasant and intelli-
gent talker and shrewd observer. His
fair complexion betolkens his Teutonic
descent Said he: Those creatures
know more than . great many people.
keep them because they wage such
constant war on flies, cockroaches and
other such vermin which are very
troublesome 10 me, and which are at
tracted by the sirups. sugar. ETC., used
in the bottling business A spider
never cares Tor sweet things nor drops
into my vats or bottleA Flies and
coclkroaches are natures scavengerA
but those spiders watch every one that
approaches like hawks, and soon lure
him into their meshes / never dis
tarb them when I can help it, except
to feed them occasionally. They ~
pear to know my call, and will como
when called and crswl upon ny hand
Or take . Ay from ny AngerA They
are tame, and have never bitten ma.
though 1 souldn't promise % much to
stranger. This spider = q hibernat-
ing animal and shuts himseH mp
during the most Of the winter IN those
little nests you see stuck like mud
daubs on the ceiling. When winter
comes bEush away al these webs, for
the spiders prefer 70 weave new webs
every spring." A. cow must be milk
ed every day this wary and .provident
little creature must unravel each
spring the silken fabric that il stored
in its body. He does not make his up
pearance till May, when the Aies have
laid their eggs snd hatched their first
:: else the dy crop would soon
out Meantime the hundreds Of
dfs which each female spider laid dur
ling the previous summer and fan have
been going through . proeeas Of incuba-
tion. and now turn out the older ones
"a seek living for Themselves Mr..
Reyber has encouraged the insects 10
harbor IN his establishment. for two
years past, and finds the spider Of such
practical utility as to be almost indis-
pensable. ble.-chattanoosa Time&
ONE ON THE COOL CAPTAIN.
rAs lasps.e Lis.ts.ase H,aany osss d.
cldeAly Eve. Ter Past Jokes.
A good story is told BY an English pa-
Per of q lisping officer having been vic
timizeds by . brother officer (who was
noted for his cool delibsration and
strong nerves., and his getting square
with him In the following manner:
The cool joker, ths captain. was Al
ways quixzing the lisping officer. . lieu
tenant, for his nervousness. and said
one day in the presence of his company:
"Why. nervousness Is all nonsense.
I tell you. lieutenant, no brave man
will be ncrvouA" aa1
''well, inquired his lisping friend,
show would you do thpose . thell with
an inth futhee thould drop iTthelf in
walled angle, in whith you had taken
thelter from company Of tharp-
thootherth. and where It wsth thsrtain
IL yQu put out your nothe you'd GET
Peppered:" a.s.i..
'.How," ssid the captain. winkine at
the circle; ''why, take It eoOl, and spit
on the fusee.' sc
The.party broke up. and al retired
except the patrol
The next morning . number Of SOL
diers were assembled On the parade and
talking in clusters, when along came
the lisping lieutenant Lasily opening
his eyes he remarked;
II want 70 try IN experiment thith
morning and zee how extheedingly cool
the captain can b."
Saying this, he walked deliberately
into the captains quarters. where .
ere was burning on the hearth, placed
in its hottest center powder canister
and instantly retfeated
There was but one mode Of egress
from the qusrters, and that was upon
the parade ground, the road being built
mp for defense. The occupant took one
look at the canister. eoWprehended the
situation, and IN . moment dashed st
the door. but il was fastened on the
outside. "a ~
Charley, let me- osA IL you love me.'
shouted the cspeAin. .si rs
.'Thpit On tie canister!" shouted hs
In return. s
Not . moment wss TO be lost He
had 1t first snatched up . blanket 70
cover his esresA but now, dropping il.
he raised the window. and out hs
bounded. sans every thing but . very
short unAergarusenk and thus. with
hair almost on end. he dasAed upon .
full parade gro0nd sNsfs ,ts
The shouts which hailed him bvought
ont the whole barracks 20 zee what was
tie matter. and the digniied captain
palled . sergeant. In front Of him 70