Bisbee daily review., 1907-08-08
RATTLE SNAKES SPECIALITY
 OF FARM
Texas Man Raises Thousands for Market, Making Big Money From Fat Reptiles Pulls FangS and Poison,

Snake farming is not so bad a busi- ness as one might suppose. F. B. Armstrong of this place has been at it for twenty-five years and has made big money by 1t.
 He handles and raises the most venomous reptiles known to the Southwest and Mexico. Rattlesnakes are his speciality He handles thou sands of them in the course of year.
 Snake farming is in a class by it. self Mir. Armstrong has no competi- ton in the business. Practically all the rattlesnakes and other reptiles pe- culiar to this region which are found In the museums, circuses, side shows and public parks of the United States and Europe are furnished by him.
 He also does a good business with snake charmers. He sells the snakes by the pound, receiving all the way from 50 cents to $1 a pound, accord ing to quality and variety.
 The snake farm is situated just out side of Brownsville. It embraces about twenty acres of ground and Is surrounded by strong. tight fence.
 Upon slight elevation within the main enclosure are the pens or cor rals where the dangerous varieties are kept. Although this is the dull season at the farm there are more than fiyehundred rattlesnakes in one pen.
 The pen is formed by building a tight board fence about fifteen feet high. The fence has no opening and the pen is entered by a ladder.
 Twelve species of poisonous snakes are known in Texas and Mexico These are the harlequin, the cotton mouth, the copperhead, the Gulf coast massasouga, Edwards massa- sauga, the ground rattlesnake. the diamond rattlesnake, the Texas rattle snake, the banded rattlesnake, the dog-faced rattlesnake. the prairie rat tlesnake and the green rattlesuake
 These snakes. with the exception of the harlequin, are all known by peculiar mark in the form of a pit in the skin of the upper jaw, between the eye and the nostril, and forming a triangle with the nostril, the eye and the pit for the three corners.
 Mir. Armstrong has had specimens of nearly all kinds of poisonous snakes in the pens upon his farm. He keeps the snakes in the pens to fat ten them. They bring better prices when fat, as he sells them by the pound
 Rats and mice are their principal food. The rodents are brought to Mr. Armstrong by Mexican boys, and are placed in the pens and the snakes do the rest. Having gurged themselves with the squealing, squirming rats an hr holes which they have made for them selves under the brush and lie there until the meal is digested.
 The small inclosure keeps the snakes inactive and they fatten very rapidly, When in prime condition they are removed from the pen by means of a wire lasso Ahitched in tight moose around their necks, just below their heads. They are placed in box and removed to the operating shed
 It is in the operating shed that the poison and fangs are removed from the snakes. Mir Armstrong takes from each rattlesnake from one to two tablespoonfuls of green liquid poison.
 In extracting the poison the snake is made to bite on a glass tumbler. The fangs dart forth and the poison is elected into the glass. Then the fangs are removed.
 There are from six to eight fangs in each snake They are from one-fourth to one-haIf inch long and are curved and as sharply pointed as a needle. In the end of each fang is a small hole through which the poison is elected.
 There are four fangs ready for use at all times. The remainder are in an undeveloped state and serve to take the place of the mature fangs should the latter be lost Lastly the poison sacks and glands are cut out. he whole process does not occupy more than five minutes. The reptile is then as harmless as a rabbit. While the operation is being carried on the snakes body is writhing con tinuously and it's rattles keeps up a constant buzzing.
 When the process is finished the snake is ready for commercial use. It is said that there is not a snake in captivity which has not been made harmless in this manner
 What do you do with the poison which you extract from the snake?9 Mr Armstrong was asked
 T sell if to chemists and physicians throughout the country he replied.
 What price do you get for it?"
 T am paid almost any price that ask. It is such rare product that it has no fixed value. It is used en- tirely for experimental purposes, such as making antitoxins. It is one Of the most powerful known poisons. and in time it may be discovered that 1t is of great yalue as medicinal product"
 Mir Armstrong's snakes are cap tured mostly by Mexicaas. They re- ceiye from g to % cents q pound for them. By adding to their weight NIT. Armstrong is able to make a good profit on each snake.
 There is a brisk demand for harm less snakes. Mir. Armstrong say that the harnIes snake are of much ben eft to the country. being yoracion eat CTS of rates. mice, gophers, moles, crickets, centipedes. 7tarantulas and other noxious insects.
 The habits of the rattlesnakes form an interesting study. The Texas rat tlesnake is particularly abundant in the Gulf coast region. It is stated that they enjoy the cool breezes from the ocean as much as the average wis itors at a summer resort. They are known to crawl to the edge of the water toward sundown in midsummer and enjoy the breeze and spray. They are quick to strike at .