The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-28
ALLIGATOR FARMS.
Ten Thousand Baby Gators Raised
Every Year for Sale to Tourists.
Washington Evening Star

| Washington Evening Star.
The attention o. the United States Fish
Commission has been called recently TO a
new and remarkable industry, namely,
the artificial propagation OF slligators.
For supplying the trade in Florida curios-
! ities there is large demand for young
reptiles OF this kind. In Jacksonville,
which is the center of the traffic, from
5000 TO 10, 900 alligators are sold 10 tour
lists annually-nearly all of them baby
ones The latter are collected i'm consid-
cradle numbers professional hunters
who receive for them from $40 to s25 a
hundred. Some OF them are disposed of
alive at retail, but many are stuffed. An
infant alligator stuffed is worth 25 cents
more than live one. Saurians six to u
feet long fetch s12 to S25.
The dif1culty OF securing young alliga-
tors In sufficient numbers has led to the
establishment OF the strange business de-
scribed. To find the nests of these rep
tiles is comparatively easy, and the eggs
are shipped in bulk by the hunters to
Jacksonville. In that city there are II
dealers in alligators, the best known of
them being man who has earned the So
briquet of Alligator Davis.' Ii was he
who originated the incubator system,
which Is simple enough. The eggs
about the size Of goose eggs, are placed in
boxes OF sand and covered up. The boxes
are exposefop a roof to the torrid rays of
.
lizards are hatched. They are six inches
or SO In length when they make their
nrst appearance in the world. Some of
them are killed and stuffed as soon as
they see daylight,
A spscies of true crocodile is found in
southern Florida ON both coasts. 1t Is
hardly distinguished BILE from the alligator
except by the shape of it's head, though il
grows bigger, attaining length of IS
feet. DIR. Hugh NJ Smith OF the Fish
Commission says that young crocodiles
are Matched tor market in the same fash
Ion. The mother crocodile lays her eggs
IN sand like turtle, and simply covers
them over. Somewhat different is the prac-
tice OF the maternal alligator, who, in
April or May, seeks a sheltered spot on a
bank and there builds small mound.
The foundation OF the mound is of mud
and grass, and on this she lays some eggs.
She covers the eggs with another stratum
oil grass and mud, upon which she depos-
Its some more eggs. Thus she proceeds
until she has laid from 100 or 200 eggs.
The eggs, in the course of time, are
Matched by the sun, assisted by the heat
which the decomposition of the vegetable
material generates. As soon as they have
"chipped the shell" the baby allfgators
are led TO the water by the mother, who
provides them with food which she ais
gorges, showing much anxiety for their
safety. AT this early period of their ex-
lstence they are exposed to many dangers,
being favorite prey TO fishes and turtles. |
Alligators' eggs, by the way, are some
times eaten by the Florida crackers. The |
robbing of the nests for market is helping |
TO hasten the inevitable destruction OF the |
fishery, which has been an inn |
portant and profitable industry in Flori- |
da. Facts recently gathered by the Fish |
commission show that the reptiles can
not long escape practical determination.
Already they are becoimg scarce, and the
price OF hides has gone up
III is estimated that 2, 900, 600 ,alligators
were killed in Florida between 1880 and
ls9l. In 1883 three firms, located at Kis-
'lmmee Tor the purpose of buying skins
aiken in the region between Lake Kis-
,lmmee and Lake Okee hobee, handled
'ooO0 hides. During the same year II hum
ers brought TO Fort Pierce 10000 pelts.
Two nrms In Jacksonville handled 80 600
skins In 1889. A few years ago an expert
lunter could easily secure 600 alligators i'm
hree weeks, and one man at Cocoa killed
= IN one night. The skins are paid for in
provisions and ammunition mainly. Deal
rs get 60 cents apiece for them from tam
lers in New York
In 1890 about 250 pounds of alligator
eeth were sold, hunters receiving from
10 = pound for them. They are re-
moved by burying the heads and rottinp
ut the teeth. OF the best teeth about 20
make pound. The stufiing of alligators
nd the polishing OF the teeth give en-
loyment TO 20 persons. Unfortunately.
lligators grow very slowly. At 10 years
I age they are only two feet long A 10
ooter may be supposed reasonably TO be 20
ears old. IL is believed that they grow as
'ng as they live, and probably they live
niger than any other animals.