Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-05-18
SPIDER FARM.
a QUEER INDUSTRY IN PENN.
SYlvANla.
IN o'd French man Sells the Spiders
60 wine Merchants Making Now
Settles Look Like Oh.

-" S'e ''SHS""eN SeUS NV SpsueV3
60 Wine Merchants Making Now
Settles Look Like Old.
There is but one der farm in the
United States As far as u writer
for the Philadelphia Press can learn
there are only .wo in the world. One
has only to so four miles from Phil
adelphia on the old Lancaster pike
and ask for the farm OF Pierre Grant.
aire to see what can be found no.
where else in this country. and
abroad only in little French village
In the department. OF the Loire.
Pierre Grantaire furnishes spiders
at so much per hundred for distribu.
ton in the wine vaults Of the mer-
chant and the nouveaux richie. His
trade is chiefly with the wholesale
merchant, who is able to stock eel.
lar with new. shining. freshly
labelled bottles. and in three months
see them veiled in filmy cobwebs, so
chat the effect Of twenty years OF
storage is secured at a small cost.
The Lancaster pike is an old, old
highway that trembled to the tramp
Of marching columns in the Revolu.
ton. In one OF the low, stone farm
houses. huge as to chimney. lives
Pierre Grantaire, a veteran of the
French army. who was conscripted
as q middle aged man from his
fathers farm in 20 to fight the
Prussians. For ten years he has
lived here, rather unique figure
among the matter Of fact farmers
around him.
Old Grantaire has wonderful
vegetable farm. ind sends in the
choicest green stuff" that 10 dis.
played IN the Philadelphia markets.
His neighbors know that he Is a
market gardener, and also raises
mushrooms, and rather envy him
the returns from his squads, that
retail at sixty cents q pair this time
Of year. But few Of them know OF
the spider raising industry, which
makes substantial part OF Pierre 9
business. 1t Is not to the old mans
dnterest to have this advertised, and
me seldom takes caller into the two
rooms Of his dwelling where his
multi.legged pets cover the walls
and weave their gossalner patterns
everywhere.
1t was bit shuddering for the
visitor. who had been brought up to
smash spider with q slipper or
whatever came handiest. to be
brought into room where there
we're spiders in front OF him, spiders
to the rear OF him, myriads Of spiders
on every hand.
The walls were covered by wire
squares from six inches to Q foot
across, like maYniiied sections OF the
wire fence used to enclose poultry
yards. Behind these wire screens the
walls had been covered with rougl,
ptsnking. There were cracks between
che boards, apparently left with de.
sign, and their weather beaten sur
faces were dotted with knotholes and
sptintered crevices. Long tables
running the length Of the room were
covered with small wire frames,
wooden boxes and glass jars. All oil
these wires In the room were covered
over by patterns OF lace tracery, In
the geometrical outlines fashioned
by the spider artists. inspired by the
mysterious instinct which has made
them weave their filmy snares In the
same fashion since the world began.
The sunlight streamed through the
open door and the room seemed hung
with curtains OF elfn woven lace.
work. The king OF the fairy palace
raped his stubby pipe against the
door. and the webs were dotted with
black spots as the spiders scampered
from their retreats in the wall cracks
and a score Of villainous looking pets
rs big as half dollars emerged from
their crannies on the table and clus-
tered against their glass roofing.
''They think ! feed them now, -
said Pierre. but fool them fol
you. They have brains, these little
creatures. All, they are cunning
After you see them and tell you Of
them you will never crush them
more; you will say, 1.-The spide,
can teach me something. l will
watch him. He Is q diplomat, ar
architect, . mathematician. Hi,
knowledge Is worth having. Don't
knock him of. He will not bit,
you. They are harmless. He wishes
to make your acquaintance"
You wish to know OF the bust
ness first? That Is like you people
money first, then the sentiment
There are 1000 spiders in this room
all raising families and minding thei
own business. Is not that a teach
ing to the world and a lesson already
You see, in these frames I breed my
pets, and when the infants are bi:
enough to run about take them in
to the next room, where they can Sc
up for themselves, as you say. 1t /
from there ! sell most. They ar
great cannibals, my pets; they ea
their children and the children eacl
other. so ! must get good pric
for those that survive their child
hood
1t is not all kinds OF spiders tina
make webs. There are those that
live in holes in the ground, and max
for themselves trap doors, and som
make soft nests in cracks, while 9TH
.ers spin'small homes in the grass o
in the room corner. No, indeed;
have sought out kinds that weav
themselves fine large webs Of line
and circles. They only look artist
in the wine cellar or on the bouteille
They are the selected ones.
"A customer comes to me. He