Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-18
MANS FRIEND THE SNAKE.
Professor In oklahoma Normal School
Pleads for u Humble Ally of Farmer.

It HERE are fow farmers in Oklaho-
ma who do not try TO kill every
snake they see. Prof w NJ. Winton,
head Of the department OF biology in
tho state Normal school at Edmond
deprecates this practise and teaches
his students that many snakes found in
tho southwest are not only harmless
but of lncalculable value to the farmer
He also teaches them not to believe all
tho snake stories they hear.
Take. Tor example, the hoop snake"
said Prof Winton. The hoop snake
IL supposed to place its tail in It's
mouth and then roll along in pursuit
OF it's prey No one has ever seen
snake that would place It's tail in its
mouth and roll. / Will give 800 for
genuine live hoop snake. that can be
persuaded 70 put It's tail In its mouth
and roll
Another OF the snake story family Is
the story Of the power that snakes,
especially blacksnakes. have OF fas-
cinatlng their victims. This has little
ground in the fact that fear will tenn
porarily parslyze the motor machinery.
For that matter so will any strong
emotion. even Joy. and often men have
been struck speeches. by good news"
The venom Of the three principal pol
sonous snakes OF this region, the rat
tlesnakc. copperhead and moccasin,
sing the action OF the heart. Whisky
md alcohol have the same erect. Prof.
Winton. accordingly, saws that to adj
minister whisky for snake bite Is just
about as reasonable as trying To cure
n man of headache by striking him
on the head with a sledGe hammer.
81 take on my hat" he declares,
"to that person whose constitution IL
SO strong that It can Withstand a dose
OF alcohol and a dose Of snake venom
In appealing for the protection OF
certain kinds Of snakes, Prof. Winton
saws:
THE true blacksnaixe docs not fas-
cinate with his little shiny eyes: he |
doesn't suck eggs. he doesn't kill little |
pigs and he doesn't do any OF the |
terrible things he IS reported az doing. |
on tho contrary he Is a great friend |
~ tho farmer. Staying thousands OF /
rodents every season. Rats. mice, go
pliers and moles all please him i'm
"The bull snaks," saws Prof winton.
'is n large blotched red and brown
snake. and suffers the greatest amount
OF injustice that any living creature
has TO bear. He is n blufflng snake
and can hiss loud enough to be heard
AT a distance OF fifteen steps or more.
He will often show fight. and In gem
-ra has a very satanic demeanor when
approached by man. I would say un-
Wild resident OF the farms. especially
the plains farms, as he will eat every
thing that other rodent catching
snakes cat, and also eats large numbers
" rabbits"
The water snakes Of this region are
u many kinds and colors, are bad
have sharp teeth and Will
bite though they are not In the least
poisonous. Yet they are killed in the
belief that they are the dreaded moe
.aSin They are scavengers. eating
lead fish. Prof. wintou says that they
.hould be protected by law.
A deeply-rooted belief in most COM
nunitics Is upset by Prof. Winton
whom he says;
Now VIC come TO that destroyer Of
,ovs' camps that breaker-up OF Sun
ay-school picnics. that terrlher OF the
blackberry picker, the spreading adder,
n the hog-nosed snake. as he ought
moro properly TO be called.
'Ho puffs and Kisses and bulges
nat his neck and even Stimulates
lumsy charge and pretcnds TO strike.
vat he absolutely refuses TO bite and
a rank coward, for II ne Is attacked
oldly he flnps ovor into the usual po-
itlon OF dead snake.
Turn him right side UP. and over he
ops again, because he firmly believes
hat dead snake must lie on his back
THE spreading adder or hog-nosed
make. rs not In the least poisonous
rs no funcs no poison sacks ana only
ny teeth He Is not 50 beautiful as
he hlacksnake. but does decidedly
lore good than harm
I'm killing on snakes promiscuously,"
-clares Prof Winton. "we are stand ,
~ I'm our own light as much as the
ian who refused 70 take medicine be
ause some medicines arc poisonous.
n tho states which have been long set
81 tho snakes have been almost killed :
nc. and as result rodents NJ all kinds .
re- the farmers chief worry, second !
My 10 the weather hrscnious COM
nunds. elaborate and expensive trans,
e.. are being used to DO the work :
hicli God meant TO have done for us
Y our crawling citizen. The snake. -
CH York Sun