Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1900-05-24
A MIC SEA.

A MIMIC SEA.
TO start an aquarium sounds rath-
er formidable undertaking from
| hnancial standpoint; yet IL costs moth
ing TO collect the treasures of the sea;
and once intelligently collected months
OF pleasure are secured. The expensive
glass globes called aquariums are not
necessary, nor even desirable. A top
will live in n bottle, and a sea garden
grow In preserve jar. Instead, sub
Slitute small new tub. unpainted in
SIDE, or glass box made OF window
ranes set in a framework OF wood and
cement. Into this tank put two inches
OF well-washed sea-sand. avoiding all
worms and fleas. which would die and
poison the water. This layer of sand
Is for the benefit OF the crabs and bur-
rowing snails.
Then with small. clean stones, free
from all vegetable growth, and little
cement build mimic arcade in the
center OF the tank. which will provide
shade, without which your sleepless
hsh would soon die Little Jumps OF
cement stuck irregularly about the
sides OF the tub, afford root-room for
weed. and so vary its monotony. Hav-
ing prepared the tank. fill II with deep
sea water to guard against the pos
sible impurities OF the shore. As this
water evaporates renew with fresh
water, since the original salt never
evaporates.
The tank must be placed where II
VIII have plenty OF light and air, while
guarded against heat and dust. Sun
light Is necessary for the plant life
OF the aquarium. but il the water ever
becomes tepid the fish will die. Now
deposit in the tank half dozen stones
or shells. to which are attached tho
finer varieties Of growing weed. az sea.
lettuce and ulvae. II Is well to first
wash these carefully, lest decayed mat
ter lurk In the fronds.
Some careful collectors let the weed
get accustomed to It's changed condi-
ton by placing It In a pail for a day
or two. The health OF this weed IL
most important tn the success OF the
aquarium. Under the action OF the
sun these water plants manufacture
oxygen for the fish, and In return re-
ceive carbonic gas. II Is the old story
OF what the grass and the trees do for
the outer air.
Once the sCa-wcCd begins to thrive
and give or glit'crinE oxygen bubbles
1t Is time to preserve green snuils 10
eat the new growth. that w0"li else
soon fill the tank. The pCriw,nhlC Is
another wCcd-Catcr, and n most indus
trious glutton. Later. when the tank
is stool I'd, no other food Is provided,
each fish foragng for it5elf. Now be-
gins the absorbing occupation OF find
ing hnny inhabitants for this mimic
sea. Collect, II possible, at the time of
the new or fun moon, when the tides
are especially low
Avoid the sand-luving nsh found in
tidepools, since they soon die In cap
tiyity; also the slmy Glugs that live
beneath stones. and void an inky iluid
when disturbed. 4 boat and a small
net, with few bottles to hold spoci-
mems, soon leave nothing to be de-
sired There are plenty OF FISH In the
sea. and the collector must take car"
not to ovrrcrowd. Suckers Will live
for years II they do not succeed In leap
ing from captivity. The Ipiny little
urchins thrive. unless eaten by star
FISH \ sobcr-loOking cookie can leap
and hurrow like a football player when
he has mind, while the painted
prawn. aristocIatc cousin to the
shrimp. will dash about when excited
like runaway rainbow.
The oyster that 20 calmly let's you
swallow him alive Is busy getting fat
for the process; the little founder and
the stiCklr-back play with each others
tail Barnaclcs there are of any kinds,
enough to sink ship; scallops Of va.
rious COlOrs. sea ancmOncs, 70 Hover
like II is hard to believe them animals.
and nnt-shclled limpcts, all OF which
must be found sticking to stones. I'm
Interesting AS they look on the shore,
'hcy will soon naunt their hidden beau
ties before their new friends In the
tank
The sluggish crab that lives hidden
like a hermit Is valuable M an eater
of dead things Tho brilliant cark-
wing playing all day amid the rock.
work. will live on the tiny parasites
among the weed II the tank boasts
bivalves. a whclk will keep them from
becoming too numerous As In the
bigger world each lives on It's weaker
brother: but Of all the feeders, the
iclly-hsh IL most interesting since It's
internal economy Il quite visible.
soidirrs' Hardest Work.
"It was the grave digging" says a
soldier quoted by the Worcester Ca
z-tte. that broke down many OF the
boys Nothing could be more disheart-
ening than to take the body OF dead
comrade out and fight off the buzzards
while digging the grave. 1t Is bad