The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1894-04-05
SNAIL FARMS.
SNAiLs BECOMING a POPULAR
DISH IN NEW YORK.
A Hotel Keeper Says That Fortunes
May Be Made in Raising Thenn"-
Their Cultivation Abroad.

|
rant to a Tribune reporter few days
ago, "how many snails are eaten in
this city. l remember well the first
time we added them to our bill OF
fare, not many years ago. We cooked
them day after day, displayed the
fact in large letters on our bills OF
fare, but it was all in vain. The pa
7 irons Of the house seemed afraid to
I try them. We lost considerable
money in our efforts to introduce
them to New York. At first they re-
NAMED on our hands, and day after
day we were obliged to throw our
supply into the waste barrels to be
carried away as food for animals.
But it is different now. People seem
to have overcome their prejudiccs,
and snails in various forms are or
derad 50 frequently that we have
ceased to be surprised. ! do not
doubt at all that they will become a
favorite dish among New Workers.
Fortunes, in fact, may be made by
their cultivation, and the enterpris-
ing Americans who begin farming
them now viii be certain of large in
comes from this industry in u few
wears. It will then be unnecessary
to import them. as we do now, almost
exclusively. Many Of the snails to
be found in the restaurants of New
York and on the tables Of some pri-
yate familie- are imported from
France and Switzerland.
I'm the Canton Of Zurich, Switzer
land" added the hotel man, "a num-
Der of peasants have established
large snail farms from which they
derive handsome incomes. Soft
land, covered not too thickly with
trees, is the favorite breeding place
for these little horned animals. The
trees and shade must not be too
thick, because the uncovered Snails
will then die in great quantities in
the autumn and early winter. In the
sun, they usually get large, hand
some, whte-shelled houses, and the
snails with such coverings are always
the best. The earth should contain
a good percentage of lime or chalk,
50 that the snails can easily get
material for their houses. Neither
should the earth be what we call fat.
If the earth does not contain sul.ic-
lent lime, the farmers should sprinkle
it with burned chalk or sand. The
snails lay their eggs in May. TO
keep them from running away from
the farm there should be a wooden
fence about two feet high built about
it. On the fence iron-yitriol or some
bad smelling oil should be sprinkled.
1t is not a bad idea, either, to sur
mount the fence with nails placed
closely together, as this will prevent
the snails from crawling over.
LAS rule one can raise 500 snails
to Il square metre Of earth. One
person can easily raise 10000 20 %
600 snails on fifty square metres.
The space, however, must not be too
cramped. When the sun shines too
hotly snails like to conceal them
selves. 1t is, therefore, necessary to
provide hiding places, so to speak.
Moss along the fence about the snail
park and low sheds made by plac-
ing boards over framework are to
be recommended Tor this purpose.
The best food for snails is salad,
cabbage, kitchen waste, nettles and
dandelions. In dry weather they eat
nothing, but as soon rs it rains they
seem to become hungry and seek
food. If the food is not al hand when
they want it they will try in every
way to escape from their bounds.
White-leaved weeds seems to satisfy
them also. If the farmers wish 10
make them very fat they sprinkle
some kind of meal on the leaves
which they eat.
"In the beginning of Autumn
about the end of August or the first
of September-thc farmer strews the
entire snail park with moss, Unjust
not be too thick, or the snails will
smother They crawl under the moss
at this time of the year, and remain
there until they are wanted. When
they are covered with their shells they
are sorted out, according to size and
quality. If they have finely rounded
or vaulted houses, which shine in the
sunlight, then they are nice and fat,
and the purchaser can tell that he has
good ware
They are packed in boxes con-
tanning from 900 to 5000 for ship
ment. Hay, or some other soft, loose
material, is used to keep them apart.
They can stand cold better than heat.
If it becomes too warm for them they
will open their shells and burst the
strongest box.
"a different method of raising
snails is used in parts of Bavaria.
There they have rs much freedom as
possible until the fall. Then they
are picked up by the children or SER
wants Of the farmer and thrown into
a deep hole. Grain is put i'm the hole
and they feed on this until they be
come fat enough to be sold. This is
generally in the spring.
I'm Switzerland the monks of the
Capuchin order raise large quantities
of snails.
Americans have not begun to pay
4 /. 4 4