The evening times., 1899-07-03

mond- back terrapin is becoming very
scarce and that this great delicacy is apt to
become entirely extinct. The terrapin is
so scarce as to be almost curiosity and
as an edible it has become one of the most
expensive things in the market.
Down in Crisfield, Md, in the very heart
of the famous Eastern Shore there is
terrapin farm and ii is now one Of the
show places of the locality. The farm is
stocked with $1,000 of the terrapin and
conservative estimate of their value is
SAC, 900.
Marylanders in the vicinity of Crisfield
are now recalling that Washington and La
fayette were Obliged to devour terrapin at
Yorktown because army supplies were low;
they also talk of the time when counties
in that State passed laws to feed slaves
twice a week on terrapin meat in order to
save the pork.
There was a time, too, when the succu-
lent reptile was cooked as food for fowls
and swine and could be bought for 81 per
ox-cart load. In those days no one ever
thought that the time would come when
the terrapin would be almost extinct and
would command as much as $3.50 In the
open market But such is the case today
in the Crisfeld region. Here the terrapin
are cared for and guarded with great anx-
iety on the part Of their possessors.
A despatch from Crisfield tells the fol-
lowing story of the establishment of
successful terrapn farm:
Believing that good money could be
made in cultiyating terrapin, A. T. La
Nalette, a grandson of Rear Admiral Z.
A. Z. La Valette, decided TO embark in the
business. Saecting a pretty site for
home on the shore near Crisfeld, he built
his terrapin farm, covering about seven
acres. The farm is divided up into pens,
with high board fences and wire screens
across the sluiceways. In these pens are
water, grass, and wet and dry sand. Plank
walks high above the water and marsh are
constructed over the farm, and when Mr..
La Valette wishes 10 feed his valuable
reptiles he simply goes out on one of these
elevated walks and claps his hands TO-
gether, making loud noise. In an in
slant the terrapin come helter-skelter
from the sand, marsh, and water and hud-
die under the walk where he stands, while
those in the other pens crawl against the
wire screens and fences in an effort TO
get through. They some time crawl on
top of one another until they are piled up
two feet thick, and occasionally there are
| fights. though terrapin is not generally
| pugnacious. They are fed on crabs. fish,
and meats of any kind, but are small cat
| ers, and il is seldom that a terrapin %i.l
attack any live thing larger than fly,
| bug, or very small fish. Mr.. La Valette
| has terrapin OF all sizes, from the largest
TO the tiny little fellows not yet quite
one year old and not larger than silver
| haIf-dollar Their growth is slow, and it
| is estimated that at least thirty or forty
years is required for a terrapin to attain
| its full growth. The di2mond-back sell
| dom grows TO be over nine inches in
| length, measured by the stomach or under
shell.
Notwithstanding the fact that every pen
! appeared to be full OF terrapin OF all sizes,
| Mr. La Valette said that he did not think
| he had more than Is 900 in stock. Orders
| were heavy last winter and the severe
| weather last February killed large num-
! Der. The terrapin is by nature cold
! bloOded reptile, and with the coming of
the first frosts he begins TO settle himself
| for the winter. 1t is necessary on this
! farm TO keep q close eyet on the weather
and use artificial means for keeping the
terrapin from freezing. The favorite place
for the Information OF the largest is few
inches below the soft oozy mud in the bed
of creek. No matter how long they re-
main alternating they never lose an ounce
! in weight, and come out as gay as crick
! cts in the warm spring. The Information
| usually lasts about six mo2ths. beginning
with the approach of frosty weather in the
fall and continuing until warm spring
weather. They bury themselves a few
inches in the mud and leave at the spot
where they disappear a mound, in the mid
die of which hole can be discerned. 1t
is the mound and the hole which first at
tract the attention of the fisherman. Dur
| ing this period terrapin are caught in their
torpid state. At least 80 per cent of those
taken from the beds OF deep creeks will
measure from six and one-half to eight
and one-half inches, with an average
weight of two and three-quarter pounds.
and are females, while so per cent Of those
bedded in the marshes have an average
weight of thTee-quarters of a pound and
measure less than FIVE inches. The males
invariably bed in the marshes and among
the rushes of very shallow ponds, only
venturing in cold water during the sum-
mer and warmest spring and fall months,
in which time thew lead a migratory life
in search of food. consisting principally of
small shellfish and soft shell crabs
At this season terrapin are caught oc-
! casionally in dredges and dragnets, but
most Of them are found in the marshes
and sand. They are easily tracked and
| their market value being so high. the
| shores are always dotted with hunters.
La
Nalette buys his stock. A few of the hunt
ers still employ dogs in tracking them
| Years ago nearly every resident of the
| Eastern Shore had his terrapin dog When
! dog tracks and finds a terrapin he places
| his forefeet on the terrapins back and
| holds him until the hunter comes man
might follow track which had been made
! several days, but dog knows at once by
the scent whether it is old or fresh. Dogs
| alSO lnpafe the of nj o,d
| ers take the eggs. Both male and female
are very shy and active swim well. and
run with considerable speed, but are very
! awkward. Terrapin manage to eyade
! dredges and nets unless the handlers are
| skilled in their work. Nothing has per-
| haps hastened the scarcity of terrapin more
! than the habit of some hunters who fire
| the grass in the marshes in the early
| spring, causing the terrapin to come from
their places of Information under the i'm
| preston that warm weather has set in.
and that il is safe for them to venture out
| Thousands are burned to death in this
way.
| While the people of the Eastern Shore
are noted for their honesty, terrapin are
so valuable that Mr.. La Valette has one
room house built in the centre of his ter
rapin farm, twenty feet above the marsh
on piles, and here watch is kept nightly
! over the creatures. Large rats give him
I more trouble than thieves, as they occa-
| sionally get into the pens and kill and eat
the young terrapin. Rats will also dig
up and destroy the eggs. The eggs re-
| semble those of the snake, having no shell.
| but thin, tough skin, and are about the
size of the eggs of the American partridge
! though not as well shaped
1t is from three to five days after the
little fellows are released from the eggs
/ lx-Fz