The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-07

stock breeders. but they ave found In
the snakes more money by far than IL
the growth of corn, wheat and other
farm products. or in the breeding OF
cattle. Two years g they enclosed a
two-acre tract Of land n specially pre-
pared II for the propagation of snakes.
Since then they have doubled the extent
Of their creage, and they are preparing
to make extensive additions mex year.
The two men started out with 400
snakes. a year they killed loo. 900 for
their oil. They will probably kill zoo, 600
this year. The reptiles, they say, re-
quire but little attention. A 15-eaf-old
girl, Bertha Lowden, daughter # one
of the farm attendants, a charge of
0 ZOO snakes and manages them AL by
herself. She likes her occupation. AID
several of the larger reptiles are ella I'M
ed as her pets. Feeding the reptiles is
but a small part of her duties. the girl
declares.
Two meals a month are all that are
necessary for the snakes to eat and
keep fat" said Bertha. They could
live and keep in fairly good condition
by eating but twice a year, bur We
feed them often because we want to
keep them fat. so they will produce
lots of oil. None of the snakes / have
in my charge will bite. Many Of them
will crawl toward me when 1 come
about them. and they do not object TO
my taking them in my hand"
Snakes oil is used for medical and
lubricating purposes. It is said to make
the finest lubricant known. Mr.. I. w.
Wiseman. a member OF the firm, says
that the world is just beginning to real
ize the actual value Of the oil, and hat
there are hundreds of uses to which il
might be applied that are vet not rec
ognized. 1t will only be a few years, he
says, until snake raising VII be a recog-
nized industry in the country, and large
capital will be invested in it, az there is
today in the raising Of sheep, hogs and
cattle.
Every species of reptiles that would
live in the Indiana climate was expert
mented with in deciding on the kinds
that were the most prolific for oil. AS
a result the brothers have found the
garter snake best adapted to their pur-
poses. Not only are they the best oil
producers. but they are more propaga-
BILE and much harder. Many species
had to be discarded because of their in
ability to survive the winter.
"A snake properly fed and carol for"
said w. M. Wiseman, can be matured
for o~il-producing purposes in three
months. They multiply SO rapiily when
domesticated that from a patr may be
grown l,UUU III TWO years W. nave
about 100 females to n male.
The former are large and better oil
producers. All our snakes ar ovipa-
rous. and considerable care has I
taken la Seeing Ina Iney do not Gevour
the eggs Of each other. One will lay
from ten to twenty-five egg in Il well
suned spot The snake Is moe fragile
when it is shedding. This they do sew
eral times a year., often as much as
once every two months. Before shedding
they are often blinded by the change OF
skin over the eyes, n at this time they
are very irritable.
while the snake Is very hardy in
many respects. it Is exceedingly frail
in others. It can be killed by : vely
small spider. An ordinary crawfish that
often infests the ponds We haNe TOR the
reptiles will kill a snake in less lime
than it takes to tell about 1t when in
his reach. They are poisoned by human
saliva. Spit on a snake n he will die
in less than two hours. They cannot
endure the scent Of cultivated Covers"
The "ophida' raised by the Wise
mans for commerce have rather short
fat bodies. They rarely attain a length
Of more than four feet. When being
fattened they are penned up n are
fed on frogs. young chickens. birds.
mice. small fish and other small ami
mails. The food is served them alive,
and they swallow II intact. Ihe snake
farm is well stocked with PONDS and
grass. The rentiies not in the f%astenilg
pens are allowed 20 roam at viii
the enclosure In sumIner time, but in
winter they arc herded to the hibernat-
ing bers. from which they do not em"~Ge
until summer again.
Other kinds Of snakes besides the oil
producers are also raised by the Wise
mans. but merely as a side issue ind
they find a market IN travelling menag-
cries. museums and geological gardens.
The great amount OF attention neces-
sary for most Of this kind. they clsim,
makes them comparatively Improbable.
They have to be housed up in winter
and kept under strict surveillance in
summer. The large African reptiles are
more delicate than any others.
A visit to the Indiana snake farm is
interesting. notwithstan ding the IN
Fanny environment. The ruptiles are
taIne n will crawl about over their
keepers feet and willingly submit TO
handling. The oil snakes are not poi
sonous. Snakes by the hundreds are
s. Tn gliding about in al directions. II
is no place for timid persons who have
fanciful superstitions or aversion 10 rep.
tiles Under the trees they keep the
leaves In a constant rattle, and q visi.
tor has to be cautious to avo, tramp
ing on them They have no 'iasitaney
in climbing up a persons leg and they
have to be pulled away with the hand
Great herds OF them are seen crawl
Ing about over the sanihIIls ard grassy
lawns and plank walks. Some co;lec
up are basking in the sun. others arr
iounging about I'm the forks .f trees
and bushes. In the ponds the water
seems fairly alive with them. Some arr
| darttng about IN quest of prey. nun
dreds are swimming on the surface