The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-13
MANs FRIEND rHE sNAKE.
oklAhema Prefesses Pseeas For Humble
AM ~ tlse Farmer.

MAN'S FRIEND TINE SHAME
oklahasa Prefe.ses Pleeas Sor Humble .
AM ~ the Farmer.
EpMoNp. Okla. March i7-Thsrs are
few farmers in Oklahoma who do not
try to kill every snake they SO. Prof. !
W. n Winton. head % the department
Of biology in the State Normal Schooi~t
Edmond. deprecates this practice ana
teaches his students that many snakes
found in tina Southwest are not only
harmless but OF incalculabls value to the
farmer. He also teaches them not to be-
lisve all the snake stories they hear.
Take. fOr. example. the hoop snake.
said Prof. Wint0n. The hoop snake u
supposed 20 place ia tail in In mouth and
then roll along in pursuit OF 10 prey
No ono has ever seen snake that would
place It's tail In its mouth and roll viii
give slo0 for q genuine live hoop snake.
that can be persuaded to put liz tail In
its mouth and roll
Another OF the snake story family 10
the story Of the power that snakes. ssps-
cially blaclzsnskea. have Of fascinating
thsir victims. This has little ground
in the fact that fear will temporarily
paraly1s the motor machinery. For that
matter 40 will any strong emotion. even
Joy: and often men have been struck
spsechlsss by good news.-
The venom OF the three principal poison-
Ous snakes Of this region. tho rattlesnaks.
coppsrhead and moocasin. acts on the
circulatory system. depressing the action
Of the heart whiskey and alcohol have
tho same effect. Prof wintOn. accord
inGly. says that to administer whiskey Tor
snake bite is Just about a. reasonable a.
trying to cure q man Of hsadache by strik-
ing him on the head with sledge ham
mer
4 take or my hat he declares. TO
that persoa whose constitution ie 90 strong
that it can withstand a dose Of alcohol
and dose Of snake venom
In appealing for the protection OF
certain kinds % snakes Prof. Winton
says;
The true black nake does not fasctnate
with his little shiny eyes. he doesn't SUCK
eggs. he doesn't Kill little pigs. and no
doesn't do any Of the terrible things he
IL reported an doing. On the contrary
/ no IL a great friend Of the farmer. staying
thOusand. Il rodents every season. Rats.
mioe. KOphers aud moles all please him
immensely
Prof winton includes in this list Of
GOOD snakes the whipanake. the racers.
the green snake and the bullsnake.
The Lallsmske.- says Prof. Winton,
I ia a large blotched red and brown snake.
and suffers the greatest amount Of in
Justice that any living creature has 10
hear. He 10 a blsifSlng snake and can HAS
/ loud enough 20 no heard NJ distance
L. ill
aho~s fight and in general has q very
atanic dsmeanor whsn approached oy
man. | would say unqualiiIsdiy that he
10 the most valuable Wild resident Of the
rArmr especially the plains farms, a. he
will eat everything that other rodent
catching ~nakes eat. and also eats large
| numbers of rabbits.
Th~ water snake~ OF this region are Of
many kinds and colors are had ismper-d.
have sharp teeth and will bale. though
/ they are not IN the least poisonous. Yet
/ they are killed ia the belief that they ar.
the dr~aded moccasin. They are acaven-
gers. eating dead fish. Prof. WintOn says
that they should be protected by law.
/ A deeply rooted sesips IN most cor-
/ munitie- v upset by Prof NintOn when
/ he says
Vow We come 10 that destroyer
of boys' camps. that breaker up ot
sunday srhOol picnicz. that terriier -
the blackberry picker. the spreading
adder. Or the hog messed snake, a. he
ought more properly To be called.
/ He pufs and Misses and bulgrs out his
neck. I'D even stimulates n clufnay charge
and pretends To strike: but he absolutely
4 refuses Ia bite aud ~ a rank coward, Tor
! II he IL attacked boldly he Hops over
! into the usual position Of n dead snake.
Turn him right side up. and over he
4 hop- again. becatIss he hrmlv believes
that a dead snake m,ss; I've On his hack.
The spreading adder. OF hog nosed
snake. ~ not in the least poisonous has
no fangs. no poison sacks and only tiny
teeth lie Us not 30 beautiful a. the black
snake. but does decidedly more good than
harm.
lin killing on snakes promiscuouslv.
declares Prof winton. we are standing
| in our own light a. much a. the man who
refused To take medicine because some
| medicines are poisonous 10 the states
! which have been long settled the snakes
have been almost killed out. and ~ a
result rodents of all kinds are the farmer's
chief worry. second only 10 the weather
| Arusnioua compounds. elaborate and sx-
pensivs traps. Ac.. are beinG uped to do
the work which God meant TO have done