The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-04

A1oII bCd IOuSn S10
in summer to s24 per dozen in winter.
Now, in winter, the only season in
which they are shipped, that size may
bring $50 to s36, the highest prices
ordinarily paid for his size. Prob
ABLY the greater part OF the terrapins
hlpped, however, were understood
and sold at very much lower prices.
T~errapins AVE been shipped from
the following counties: Beaufort,
brunswick, Carteret, Dare, Hyde, New
Hanover, OnSlOW, Pamlico, PasUuo-
tank and Pender. There is consider
able variation in the value received
tor the ~terrapins from the different
counties, the middle and northern
as a rule obtaining the high
er price.
AT the present time there is no reg
uiar fishing for terrapin, but IN &C
count Of it's market value, every terra
pin that is observed While carrying on
other forms Of fishing is eagerly
caught by the fishermen regardless Of
size or time Of year, and the process
Of determination goes on. It is not
only h mature %terrapins (5 to 8
1nches) that are taken. but even the
small ones are caught and sold for
whatever they will bring.
The terrapin has not the power to
regain its hold within a few years. as
the oyster or the clam might do.
Each female lays but a few Eggs m
the young that hatch from them I'M
dergo many perils. Those that sur
vive the dangers Of early life are slow
to reach the stage where they may
| start another generation, and before
reaching this stage they are to be
| captured by the fishermen.
Unless some legislative provision be
made for its preservation this fishery
will be exhausted. There are two n
only two methods Of preserving the
terrapin in North Carolina, propaga-
ton and restriction Of the fishing.
In regard to the first method, it is
impossible at this time to say whether
or not breeding Of terraplns will be-
como generally practicable. Thus faI
no business venture in this direction
has been entirely successful. The
chief stumbling block seems to have
been:
l. The failure to get terrapins te
breed satisfactorily in the close con,
fnenent usually offered.
3. The want Of knowledge Of the
habits Of the young and the condi-
tons necessary for their development
The experiments Of the United
States Bureau of Fisheries have re.
moved some Of the difficulties. bu'
until the experiments have reached
a further stage, a decision cannot b
rendered as to the practicability o.
propagation. We a therefore, sa!
that the only present visible hope To-
the preservation OF the tefrapin fish
cry lies in the restriction Of the fish
cry by adequate legislation which
} must be passed and enforced by tn
States
The present laws in North Carolin;
relating to the terrapin are as fol
lows:
1858. Use of Drag-nets by Non-resi
3 dents for Catching TerrapinS Forbid
l den.-If n person who is not a citi
, zen and who has not resided in tn
State continuously for the preceding
! two years shall use any drag-net Q
5 other instrument for catching terra
pin he shall be guilty Of a misde
meanor. Code, SIS. 1875, 1876.
f 1870. Dtamond-back Terrapin Pro
9 tected.-If any person shall take Q
= catch any diamOnd-back terrapin be
t tween the fifteenth day Of April an
= the fifteenth day Of August Of an
t year, OF any dianond-back terrapin a
S any time Of less size than five inche
in length upon the bottom she'll, Q
: shall interfere with, or in any name
: destroy any eggs Of the d~iamond-bac
9 terrapin, he shall be guilty Of a mis-
demeanor, and shall be fined not les
n than five dollars nor more than te
dollars for each and every diamond
e back terrapin SO taken or caught, an
q like sum for each and every egg in
terfered with or destroyed: PROVIDED
hi section shall not apply to parte
n empowered by the State to propagat
9 the said diamond-back t%errapin; an
e the possession Of any diamond-bac
terrapin between the fifteenth day {
n April and August shall be prima faci
e evidence tina the person having tn
Ii same violated this section. 1t Sha
be the duty of all sherifs n cor
e stables to give Immediate informato
d to some justice Of the peace Of an
e violation of this section.
There are some very good provi!
ions in this 1aw, and if they had bee
enforced, terrapins would still
e abundant in North Carolina. On "A
, count of the depleted condition Of tn
1, terrapin industry additional legisls
e ton must be enacted if the terrapl
e is to be kept from determination.
81 There choul6 he a closed season Is