New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-18
HOW SNAILS ARE RAISED.
A POPULAR DISH WITH NEw-YoRKERs-A HorEh
KEEPER SAYS THAT FORTUNES MAY BE
MADE IN RAISING THEM.

MADE ~ RAISING THEM
at is surprising" said the proprietor OF "e''-
known uptown restaurant to a Tribune reporter
few DAYS ago, "how many snails are eaten IN 'n'S
CITY, / remember well the first time we added tnefl
10 our bill Of fare not many years ago. We cooked
them day after day displayed the fact IN large ie'-
ters on our bills OF fare but 1t was all In vain.
The patrons of the house seemed afraid 10 Try
them We lost considerable money IN our ehors
10 introduce them to New-York. At hrst they re-
NAMED on our hands and day after day we were
Obliged TO throw our supply into the waste barrels
70 be carried away food FOR animals But II 10
different now People seem to have overcome their
prcjudices. and snals in various forms are orueFeo
so frequently that have ceased to be surprised
do not doubt at all that they VIII become idNor-
i,e dish among New-Yorkers. Fortunes. in fact
may be made by their cultivation. and the enter
nrlsng Americans who begin farming them no"
will be certain OF large incomes from the INDUSTRY
in a few years II will then be unnecessary 10 I'M
port them. as do now. almost exclusively Many
Of the snas to found in the restaurants or New
York and on the tables Of some private iamlies
are imported from France and Switzerland
I'm the Canton Of Zurich. Switzerland" added the
hotel man "a number OF peasants have established
large snail farms from which they derive mana
some incomes soft land covered not 100 'h'chy
with trees is the favorte breeding-place for these
little horned animals The trees and shade must
not he TOO thick because the uncovered snails VIII
then die in great quantities in the autumn and early
winter. In the they usually get large hahd-
some white-shelled houses. and the snails with
such coverings always TIE best Inc earth
should contain a good percentage Of lime or chalk.
s. that the snails can easily get material ior lhe.
houses Neither should the earth be what we cal
fat II the earth does not contain suicient lime.
the farmers should sprinkle it with burned chaK or
sand The snai!s lay their eggs in May. To Keep
them from running away from the farm there
should be a wooden fence about two feet high
IN fha 70 vi
! b,d-smelling oil should be sprinkled. II Is not
bad idea either to surmount the fence with nails
placed closely together. this will prevent the
snails from crawling over.
"As a rule one can raise 500 snas to a square
metre of earth one person can easily raise 10000
10 5000 snails on fifty square metres. The space
however. must not be too cramped. When the sun
shines too holly snas like to conceal themselves
1t Is therefore necessary to provide hiding places
50 10 speak Moss along the fence about the snail
park and low sheds made by placing boards over
a framework are to be recommended for this pur-
pose.
The best food for snails is salad. cabbage kcheA
waste nettes and daudeons. In dry weather 'hey
eat nothing but as soon as 1t rains ,hey seem 10
become hungry and seek food. II the food Is not
at hand when they want II they will try IN every
way to escape from their bounds. White-leaved
weeds seem to satisfy them also II the farmers
wish 10 make them very fat they sprinkle soHe
kind of meal the leaves which they eat
I'm the beginning OF autumn-about the emo Oh
August or the LIST of SCptember-the farmer strews
the entire snail park with moss. IL must not DO
too thick or the snalls will smother They crawl
under the moss at this time Of the year. and remain
there until they wanted. When they are COW
cred with their sheds they are sorted out, accord
ing TO size and quality II they have finely rounded
or vauled houses which shine In the sunlight, tnen
they are nice and fat and the purchaser can tell
that he has good
They are packed in boxes containing from LOU
10 5000 for shipment Hay, some other soft. loose
material Is used to keep them apart. They can
stand cold better heat. II Il becomes TOO warm
for them they will open their shells and burst the
strongest box. ,
"A different method OF raising snas Is used In
narts of Bavaria. There they have as much free
dom as possible until the fall Then they are picked
no by the children servants OF the farmer ana
thrown into deep hole Grain is put In the hole.
and they feed this until they become fat enough
10 be sold. This is generally in the spring.
In Switzerland the mo 1ks OF the Capuchin order
raise large quantities Of snails
Americans have not begun 10 pay much atten-
tlon to their cultivation yet but fortunes await
those who begin at the proper time. The snail as
a de,icacy has come TO stay. and Will become more
and more popular every year with New-York gour-
mands."