Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 November 1893 — The Toothsome Terrapin. [ARTICLE]

The Toothsome Terrapin.

In two or three places along the CheatKnke terrapin of the precious diamond ok variety are hatched and reared in “crawls." Such a "crawl" ie simply an enclosure through which the tides ebb and flow. The bottom is of mud and grass, and there is a convenient sand bank for the mother turtles to lay theii eggs in. At breeding time tbe turtle scratches a shallow hole in uio ■and and deposits from eight to twenty eggs, which she oovers up, and then goes back to the water. Lett gulls and crows should scratoh the eggs up and eat them, nets are sometimes spread over the nests. The young are batched about September 1, but often remain buried until spring. Sometimes they are packed in boxes with straw until they get to be a few weeks old and are ready to go into the water. They grow about one inch a year, and at tbe end of six years are big enough to be called "counts” and to sell at the highest market price. They are feJ twice a week with crabs and fish to fatten them.—[Washington Star.