The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-08-20
RAISING ALL|GAT0RS
ONLY TWO PLACES ~ LAND
WHERE INDUSTRY PREVAILS.
From 500 to 800 Reptiles Kept or
Ranch at Hot Springs. Arm,
and Culture is an Inter
Getting Process.

Washington.-it Is claimed tha; the
alligator farm In Hot Springs, Ark. il
larger than that In 81. Augustine, Fla
and that these two are the only farms
oi the kind. The farm In Hot Springs
Is on small mountain stream thai
feeds series Of little lakes or ponds
These are made use of 20 form the
breeding grounds" siockyArds" and
winter quarters" for this stock indus
try.
There are ct all times on this farm
between Soc aud 500 aliigators, ranging
IN size from little baby gators, less
than six inches long. up to Big Joe,
nearly l5 feet long. The little fellows
have all been Matched ON the farm. but
me big ones were caught In the
swamps and bayous of the south.
The alligator is a oannibal, and for
mat reason IL is necessa y 90 separate
me ponds by means OF heavy wire net
ing and to place reptiles OF very near
~ The same size In each inclosure Big
Joe, the monarch OF the establishment
weighing nearly GOO pounds. is kept by
himself. Otherwise. II is alleged. he
would soon be the only alligator there.
The eggs are placed To incubaiors
quite similar to those for Matching
chickens, After being Matched the
little ones are placed In separate In.
closure. to prevent their elder brothers
and sisters from eating them. They
grew very slowly. so that an alligator
TWO feet long IL about two years OF
ase. and one IL feet long may be is
years or more. Some reach length
OF i6 or is feet.
II allowed 10 follow their hiberna,-
Ing habits In captivity. the alligators
would bury themselves In the mud and
lie dormant for nearly half OF the year
and business would have TO be sus.
pended during that time on the ailiga.
tor farm. Some way had to be de-.
vised for avoiding. In part. at least.
this alternating instinct The winter
quarters are In long. low building al.
vided into many compartments. Each
compartment contains pool OF water
through which run steam pipes. 80 that
the water can be kept al constant
temperature. One small pond will
contain 200 or 800 aliiRaiors,
Hundreds OF baby aiiigators are sold
every year 10 patrons OF the health re-
sort az Hot Springs for pets. for home
aqnariums and for curious mementos
TO be sent 10 distant friends For those
purposes little creatures not more than
six inches long are preferred. Reptiles
OF larger size. from two feet In length
up 10 the largest than can be obtained,
are sold for use as advertising novel.
Ties. and for exhibition in amusement
parks, museums. shows and menagcr
les. Large numbers OF all sizes are
killed. stuffed and mounted In striking
or fantastic attitudes and used for or.
namental and decorative purposes. The
skins are tanned and manufactured
into suit cases. saiehels, handbags.
belts, pockeibooks, aud, In fact. almost
anything that can be made Of leather.
The durability. beauty and cos,iiDess
OF the tanned hides cause them 10 be
esteemed among the most desirable Of
leather materials. Even the teeth are
not wasted. being manufactured into
small ornaments and articles OF jewel.
ny and sold as curiosities.