Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1894 — Terrapin Farming. [ARTICLE]

Terrapin Farming.

Terrapin farming is an undeveloped industry, but susceptible of yielding good returns. Over $1,500000 worth of diamond-back terrapin are taken out of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries every year. As the price averages SBO a dozen, this represents 600,000 terrapin annually. During the season 500 men are engaged in catching them. In two or three places along the Chesapeake terrapin of the precious diamondback variety are hatched and reared in “crawls,” Such a “crawl” is simply an inclosure 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 their eggs in. At breeding time the turtle scratches a shallow hole in the sand and deposits from eight to twenty eggs, which she covers up, and then goes back to the water. Lest gulls and crows should scratch the eggs up and eat them, nets are sometimes spread over the nests. The young are hatched 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 the end of six years are big enough to be called “counts” and to sell at the highest market price. They are fed twice a week with crabs and fish to fatten them.—[New York World.