The Washington herald., 1907-02-03
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Two Farms Devoted to Rails
ing the SauPians.
EGGS MATCHED IN INCUBATOR
alternating Instinct Contracted by
Keeping the Animals Warm-Kept
= I'm stock Piled Up Like sticks OK
Vocabulary Sold as Pets-BiR Ones
Valuable for Their Hides.

OF all queer farms none are more IN
usual than alligator farms. There are
only two In the world One Is at ST.
Springs, Ark. The one at Hot Springs Is
by far the largest II is on a small noun
tain stream that feeds series Of little
lakes or ponds. These are made use u
to form the breeding grounds" stock
yards" and winter quarters" for this
antique branch Of the great American
live stock industry, says the Kansas City
star
There are at times on this farm be-
tween 800 and so live aIigators. ranging
in size from little baby gators less than
six inches long up TO Big Joe" nearly
fifteen feet long. The little fellows have
all been Matched on the farm, but the blk
ones were caught In the swamps ana
bayous Of the South.
The alligator is a cannibaI. and for that
reason it is necessary 10 separate the
ponds by means Of heavy wire netting
and TO place reptiles Of very nearly the
same size in each incIosure. Big joe"
the monarch Of the establishment. weigh
ing almost co pounds. is kept by himself
Otherwise he would soon be the only
alligator there. One practice at the Hot
Springs farm is not likely 10 meet with
the approval Of the boys. The city pound
master delivers all the homeless and
unlicensed dogs caught on the streets TO
the manager. Then the poor dogs are
killed and fed to the alligators. When
sufficient supply Of dog meat is not avail
able tainted meats are procured from
nearby butchers. or from the great pack
ing houses Of Omaha and Kansas City.
The alligator is not at ali particular, but
seems to prefer his meat Iistle spoiled.
Robbed of Eggs.
At the alligator farm the females are
robbed Of their eggs as soon as they
finish depositlng them. These are then
placed in an incubator for Matching.
After being Matched, the little ones are
placed in an inclosure 10 prevent their
elder brothers and sisters from eating
them. They grow very slowly, SO that
an alligator two feet long is at least
fifteen years OF age, and one twelve feet
long may be anywhere from seventy-dve
to $50 years old. Some reach length
Of sixteen OF eighteen feet, and are sup
posed 70 attain an age Of more than SO
years
II allowed TO follow the alternating
habits in captivity, the aIlisators would
bury themselves in the mud and lie dor
mant for nearly half Of the year, and
business would have TO be suspended
during that time on the alligator farm.
a way had 10 be devised for circUmvent-
ing. in part at least. this alternating in
stict The winter quarters are in a long,
low building, divided into many compart-
meuts Each compartment contains q
pool Of water, through which runs steam
pipes. so that the water can be kept at
a constant temperature. One small pond
will contain 200 or 800 alligatcrs. in their
dormant condition. piled on top OF one
another like SO many sticks Of hre-wOOd.
There they lie, apparently lifeless. through
the winter not awakening 90 taste even
the most tempting morseI Of food, though
il be held against their noses; but when
any are wanted for waiting customers or
for shipment TO distant points. it is an
easy matter-to enter the building and
select as many as are desired
Hundreds Are sold.
Hundreds Of baby aIHsators are sold
every year TO patrons Of the health resort
at Hot Springs for pets, for home aqua
RUINS. and for curious mement0es 10 be
sent 20 distant friends. For these pur-
poses little creatures not more than six
inches long are preferred. Reptiles OF
larger size, from two feet in length up 20
the largest that can be obtained, are sold
for use as advertising novelties and for
exhibition in amusement parks, museums,
shows, and menageries. Large numbers
Of all sizes are killed. stuffed, and mounted
in striking or fantastic attitudes, and
used for ornamental and decorative pur-
poses. The skins are tanned and manu-
featured into suit cases. satchels. hand
bags. belts. pOCketbCOks. and, in fact,
almost anything that can be made Of
leather. The durability. beauty. and cost
illness OF the tanned hides cause them TO
be esteemed among the most desirable
Of leather materials Even the teeth are
not wasted being manufactured into
small ornaments and articles Of jeWelry,