New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-22
TURTLES AND TERRAPIN
SUPPLIES AND PRICES IN THE NEW-YoRN
MARKET.
SPANISH SOLDIERS SAID TO BE FEASTiNG oN '''-
TIES IN CuBA-THE SCARCITY AND DEAR

TIES IN ct-RA-TIIE SCARCITY AND DEAR
NESS OF TERRArrN INCREASING.
Green turtles are reported to be in fair supply
dosrits tho recently prevailing cold weather which
w,s unfayorabIe for their shipment. An unusually
small number has lately been received from ma
vana on account. IL Is said. or the extensive ieeu
Ing of them TO Spanish soldiers In Cuba heceh.
receIpts have come mainly from La Guayra anu
K.v West which are chief sources OF supply In
winter There are annually received In TINS city
about thIrty-nve hundred green turtles. OF totai
onnroxima,e weight OF 10000 pounds The average
weeh Of the turtles received here IN the course OK
4 wear IS abou, seventy five pounds each put some
come occasionally which weight from 80 10 ~"
pounds each with under shells more than i've rect
long ana nearly four feet wide
THE CHIEF SOURCES OF SUPPLY.
The principal sources OF supply are the Bermuda
and West India Islands. Key West fia' anu
Mexico The largest turtles are sold 10 the great
hotels and canneries for from IL 10 II ce"'s q
Mound: the Inedum-s.zed ones to ciuos restauiah
and small hotels for from 10 TO IS cents pouhu'
ord small ones TO families for from 20 to % cents
Mound In summer turtles weighing from hfteen 10
twenty pounds apiece are received from bermuda
and are usually sold to families for about Z" cents
a Mound Both the top and bottom Shells as We"
as the meat used in making soup i"eS ~
como geatnous when boiled. and the little green
cures as special decacy. When the smells are
separated from the meat for canning or other pur-
noses they are sod for q cents pound. Inc o''
ming Of turtle meat and shells Is an extensive DUST
s anil consumes large percentage oil the an
nual supply
CARE OF TURTLES IN CAPTIVITY.
Tho turtles are bought sIngly or In small iots oy
dealers at the seaports near the places "here '.'
are caught. from fishermen VINO p'ns '".".
They are kept In submerged crawis maue oi s'ou'
uooden clats until a sufficient number mas accu-
mulated for shipping TO this and other marNe'''
Usually they are shipped directly 10 large "''.
=, the distributing centres. but sometimes 'he
Stewards OF steamships buy small INVOICES anu
hiring them TO market on spocuIatlohs' i" 'u'"
turtles are kept In sunken crawls III 'he "
Narke; slip and are literally supplied Win ieUa'e
and cabbage leaves. watermelon rihos anu o',,.
,..gct,blc food When the first cold snap heraus
', " .oa.h ~ winter they are promptly removed
.. h.,,od rooms In the market and put 70 pen o''
bclves with their heads resting on rude pu' CUM
narativoly comfortable pillows. out OF inc ""'e
,bev will not eat. Green turtles nave p''' NM"
IN 1--we In the warm rooms IN winter "'l"o". o
,or ,,or, two TO three months. but when kept so
long they become emaciated and undesrao'e ''
food They are usually sold within lrot, ~, W. tho
three weeks from the time they are take" HUN 'e
sun"orsro ~ tropical climates green turtles
ar. extremely sensitive cold. and easili ,r
n, - water or IL frigl atmosihetr. IN 49,, 49,.
nov ar. TRANSPORTED IN warm parts OF s.'"''''p'
wy ,t"ir arrlyaI thoy are laden on carts eo'erei
v.ifh canvas 70 protect them from the c9id, anu
taken as quickly as possible 10 the hea'eu 'oo"S
In the market
AN EXPENSIVE TABLE LUXURY
The active terrapln season begins about OCTOBER
I and ends about April !. In summer the 'errap'"
are kept In pens at the sources OF supply await
ing shipment In the active season. according 10
an estimate made by expert. from 40 10 On"
,crrapIn OF all kinds, great and small. are uls-
nosei Of In this market. They are brought here
from various points along the coast from NasSa-
chuqeits 10 Texas Dlamond-back tertaPin troii
Chcsapeake Bay the un !er-shcll OF when ~ from
six 10 seven inches long. and which weigh from
four 10 five pounds each. Including thelr snei's:
are now selling in Fulton Market for from ), 10 ~
or,ere and those from Massachusetts. Long Island
and New-Jersey bring the same price; lrrrap,,h
from North and South Carolina. Georgia. flofua
and Texas which arc small and OF inferior quai'y'
are sold for from SIS 10 so A dozen
Every year tcrrapln are becoming scarcer anu
dearer and they are now commonly REGARDED as
dish only for monaires Those from Northern
waters have advanced In price about one huhurcd
nor cent within the last ten years ana those from
Southern waters about NIFTY per cent IN inc same
fine The finer ones are sold only for select din
nor nartie and the wealthicst family trade. Hotels
| and restaurants cannot afford to serve them 10
guests except special orders. II takes fuiIy ten
years for n ter-apn to grow 10 maturity, ana the
| specIes does not propagate fast enough TO meet
| tho increasing demand OF consumers. Artlncal
propacation has been unsuccessfuly attempted and
abandoned. and, as the market miist depend upon
the slow natural for the supply TX Is likely
| that terrapin Will continue to become scarcer ana
dearcr till sources OF supply or ciectlVe neth
| DDS OF artificial propagation have been discovered
|