The Springfield herald., 1912-09-06
p T is only during very recent years
that common turtles, or logger
heads, and the easily raised water
farranIn have heop fully aDDreci.

that common turtles. or logger
| heads, and the easily raised water
terrapin have been fully appreci-
ated as articles of food that may
be commonly enjoyed. instead Of rel
egated to form the choice dish Of BAN
quets. The northern former. with
drainage streams forming an impor-
tant feature Of his land. and the own
er of springfield ponds on suburban
gounds. may learn much from the tur-
tie industry of the south that will
prove interesting as well as practical
In the early days, when all that por-
tion of the coast of Florida swept by
the Gulf Of Mexico. afforded abundant
hunting ground for turtles. they were
such a common article of food that
they were little appreciated. but dur
ing recent years their commercial
value has increased.
The most important commercially
are the green turtle, the turnkbacks.
the hawkbills and the loggerheads
Though some of them weigh only a
few pounds, there are some mammoth
specimens captured. the claim being
made. on good authority. that the
largest have been known to reach a
weight OF 1900 pounds. The green tur-
tie is also known as the Chelonia my
das. and is the variety most priced
by the natives OF Southern Florida.
Captured by Nets.
At the present day turtles are cap
tured mainly by nets, and also from
the land by probing into their hiding
places along the banks of streams
with turtle-hook fastened to long.
stout pole. What is known as "tur-
tle-turning" is mainly followed as a
sport by boys. But the old residents
claim that ir the early days surtle-
turning was made the most important
manner of capture, as we'll as sport.
An early authority thus tells OF the
method used:
Here (along the southern coast of
Florida) one can follow the most sar-
donic of all sports-turtle-catchin
You walk along the lovely beach at
night, when the turtle has come up
from the waters to deposit her hun
dreds OF eggs. You see one. You
advance, and coolly turn it over on
its back-and that is all. You leave
1t leisurely and pursue your stroll;
turn another on its back, leave it,
and SO OF until you are tired. When
you come again on the morrow there
they are. To walk up to turtle in
the morning, having treated him In
this manner over night, and look
steadily in the eye thereof without
certain titillating sensations at once
in your diaphragm (where you laugh
and in your conscience (where you do
not laugh) requires more grim rigidity
OF the former and more supple elias
ticity of the las:er than some people
possess. Nor can there be anything
In life. considered without reference
to your own act in making it so. more
preposterous than an upturned tur-
tie lying, poor innocent. on its mildly
convey back, with its mildly white
eyes staring weakly at heaven. and its
hippers wriggling in fabby helpless
ness toward the four quarters of the
earth
In these more practical days one
| questions why they should have been
turned on their backs. thus to remain
over night. Why there was not pos
sibility of some one else getting there
first in the morning and reaping the
fruits CT the turner's" labor. Why
the was not considerable danger of
the "wriggling flippers' giving the
sudden twist that will send the aver
age email turtle right side up with
care" after a few effective struggles,
and why 1t would not be lust as easy.
and much more sensible. on going
a-turtling to take along means of car
rying hcme the prizes when first
caught, instead of allowing them to
lie on their backs until morning.
Only a few years ago, when the
turtle indrstry first began to be ap-
preciated from its commercial stand
point, the beef ard turtle markets of
Key West stood site by si6e, many
preferrng the. latter as regular
meat supply. and 1t then began to be
profitable industry to ship turtles
alive to the northern markets. not
only from Key West. but from all
|