The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-06-20
DREED TERRApIN
! FOR the MILLION
DuIeau Of Fisheries FavOrs
Artificial Propagation.

now TO RUN TURTLE FARM
Me- Every One Can Go Into u Because
Proximity to Tide Water 10 Nsess-
sary For evceessfuI Results-senate
% % Asked 10 Grant Breeding Ap.
prepriation.
That the famed diamond back ter
ngkn, at once the delight Of the cpl
cures palate and the despair Of his
pocket, may soon be within reach Of
The poor mans purse was the subject
of recent dispatches from Washington.
z1is possibility was made conditional
- the ability Of the bureau Of fish,
1E1es TO arouse interest in the breeding
AAd propagation Of the delectable tur-
~, which In recent years has become
- nearly extinct Il was said that
Selks might raise their own terrapin
- their back yards, but this state
uent has been limited. Folks can do
tAis who have back yards on the Sea-
sAore or other bodies Of salt water.
The bureau Of fisheries, however, has
- aoubt from experiments that II has
eayried on At it, terrapin farm ut
Beaufort, N. O., that the artincial
psopAgation Of these aristocratic tur.
tiss y thoroughly feasible and can be
nads profitable. The bureau soon will
Wsna ont copies Of report which will
Olve full instructions how 70 raise your
ewn diamond back terrapin.
'sTime was," says the bureau Of nsb-
ss1ss, when the Potomac river in Its
0Alt water stretches was alive with
diamond back terrapin. Now, unless
somebody lends q hand by way Of ar
ttlicial propagation, even the folk who
are willing to pay even the exorbitant
rates now charged for terrapin will
have TO 60 hungry.
Selecting . etts.
TN case natural pond 10 not availa.
ble fairly satisfactory inciosure may
be made on almost any low grade Of
ground 10 which salt water can be con.
Quoted by bitches or through which
sOine salt water creek lows. In such o
location, however, the labor Of digging
Tie bitches would be great, and there
would probably be much difIicuity in
Inducing the females to deposit all
their eggs In the sand bed provided for
that purpose. Locations ON high
ground remote from salt water and Ia
places where there IL no tidal flow
would bs absolutely unsuited to terra
pin culture Pens constructed in such
places become filed with foul odors
pud and Nth.
"Whatever type Of Enclosure II de-
C1ded upon, ut least ten square feet
should be allowed for each adult terra.
pin placed In II. A terrapln can live In
jeSs space than this, and further expert
ments may show that the animals viii
stand crowding, but up to the present
. minimum Of ten square feet seemi
leHirable"
The report says that under natural
conditions the care Of the adult terra
pins presents very little difiicuity ant
that In suitable localities the cost O
feeding Is 30 small as almost to b,
negligible, and II supplies are reasOnn
bly, close at hand and the pen IL close
at hand a man should be able to car,
Tor several thousands Of the animals
The laying season begins as soon a,
Tor several weeks, and In this connec
tion the report continues:
q The Young Tsrrapins.
The tirst young terrapins may b,
expected toward the middle Of August
and from that time on few Of then
will be seen from time to time crawl
ing about the bed. They win remnil
above ground for only short time
but during that time II there is any
avenue Of escape they are pretty Ger
tain 70 find II. 10 one who II familiar
with the adult animals the climbing
Of the young ones IL astounding. They
can ascend TO the top Of rough boars
fence with ease and by selecting cor
ner IN which 10 cling can make thei
way over a concrete wall two or thre,
feet high. The diamond back terra
PIN was formerly found along the east
ern aud southern coasts OF the Unitet
states, but seemed 10 be more In abun
3Ance In the warmer sections"
The report says that good terrapin
for breeding purposes can usually b'
obtained from dealers and that price
vary considerably. Unless the bureau
secures nm appropriation from congress
For the purpose It will not be able b
fOrnish breeding stock. There IL
possibility that congress will authoris
eAe distribution Of young terrapins 4
the same manner as ish fry.
EMPRESS BREAKS VASE.