Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-10-19

WP T is only during very recent years
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
luets. The northern former, with
drainage streams forming an impor-
:ant feature of his land, and the own
Dr. of springfield ponds on suburban
gounds, may learn much from the tur-
| lie industry of the south that Will
prove interesting as Welt as practical.
In the early days, when all that por-
lion of the coast of Florida swept by
| .he Gulf of Mexico, Afforded abundant
hunting ground for turtles, they were
such a common article of food that
hey we're 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
.ew pounds, there are some mammoth
specimens captured, the claim being
made, on good authority. that the
argest have been known to reach a
weight of 1900 pounds. The green tur-
lie is also known as the Chelonia my.
| las, and ia the variety most priced
| oy the natives of Southern Florida.
Captured by Nets.
At the present day turtles are cap
:ured mainly by nets, and also from
he land by probing into their hiding
places along the banks of streams
with q turtle-hook fastened to a long.
stout pole. What is known as ''tur.
:ls-turning' is mainly followed as a
sport by boys. But the old residents
Slain that ir the early days turtle
turning was made the most important
manner of capture. as well as sport.
An early authority thus tells Of the
method used:
| Here (along the southern coast of
Florifa) one can follow the most sar-
| ionic OF all notwithstanding
You walk along the lovely beach at
aight when the turtle has come up
| from the waters to deposit her hun
dreds of eggs. You see one. You
advance, and coolly turn 1t over on
its back-and that Is all. You leave
1t leisurely and pursue your stroll;
turn another on It's back, leave 1t.
and so on 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 eve thereof without
| ,ertain titillating sensations at once
n your diaphragm (where you laugh)
and In your conscience (where you do
aot laugh) requires more grim rigidity
Of the former and more supple elias
tioity OF the latter than some people
possess. Nor can there be anything
In life, considered without reference
10 your own act in making 1t SO. more
preposterous than an upturned tur-
tie lying, poor innocent, on Its mildly
convex back, with its mildly white
Byes staring weakly at heaven, and it's
hippers wriggling In habby 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
hrst in the morning and reaping the
fruits of the turner's" labor. Why
thei, was not considerable danger OF
the "wriggling fiippers" giving the
sudden twist that will send the aver
age small turtle right side up with
care" after few effective struggles.
and why 1t would not be just as easy,
and much more. sensible. on going
a-turtling. to take along means OF car.
rying home the prizes when first
caught, instead of allowing them to
lie on their backs until morning.
Only few years ago, when the
turtle industry first began to be ap-
preciated from its commercial stand
point, the beef and turtle markets OF
Key West stood side by side, many
preferring the latter as regular
meat supply, and 1t then began to be
profitable industry to ship turtles
alive to the northern markets, moi
only from Key West. but from all
along the southern coast of Florida
The turtle eggs are also valued az
food, and the pioneer settlers In the
far south found them very appreci
able item in their provisioning, as the
large varieties of turtles have beer
known to lay from 100 to 400 eggs II
each nest. What Is known as the
Florida gopher is a species of tor
toise of terrapin that burrows,i In the
sandy soil and furnishes very accept
able food. Gopher calipash is TIL,
most popular dish made from thii
amalf turtle