748 



TERRAPIN-CULTURE. 



The total amount of revenue collected from 

 the counties in 1883 was $786,829.88 ; in 1884, 

 $1,029,990.30. In 1884 the privilege - tax 

 amounted to $334,870.04 East Tennessee re- 

 turning $67,006.06 ; Middle Tennessee, $145,- 

 681.01; West Tennessee, $122,182.97. In 1885 

 the privilege-tax was $341,343.71 ; net amount, 

 $206,389.55. 



Iron - Fnrnaees. There are in Tennessee 9 

 charcoal furnaces, 2 of which are in blast with 

 a capacity of 490 tons a week, and 7 out of 

 blast with a capacity of 569 tons a week. 

 There are also 8 coke-furnaces 6 in blast with 

 a weekly capacity of 2,620 tons, and 2 out of 

 blast with a capacity of 980 tons a week. 



Peanuts. The crop in Tennessee in 1884 far 

 exceeded all expectations. The following table 

 exhibits the movement of the crop to Sept. 30, 

 1885: u.^ 



Cincinnati receipts 168,727 



Sent to Norfolk direct 12,000 



Sent to other points 29,273 



Yet in Tennessee 40,000 



Total bags 250,000 



Equal to bushels 1 ,250,000 



TERRAPIN - CULTURE. The species of the 

 family Emydoid most highly prized as an arti- 

 cle of food is commonly known as the diamond- 

 back terrapin (Malacoclemmys palustris). Its 

 upper shell is oval, and is covered with many 

 plates, which are deeply impressed with numer- 

 ous lines, giving a rough and uneven appear- 

 ance. They are of a dull, ash-brown color, 

 sometimes approaching black, unequal in size, 

 and varying in shape, some being six-sided, a 

 few oblong, while others are triangular. The 

 under shell is smooth, and varies in color from 

 reddish orange to pale yellow. The neck is 

 short and thick, and the head and limbs are 

 of a dark brownish color, covered with black 

 spots. These terrapins have a range from Mas- 

 sachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico, and are found 

 in all the bays and inlets along the Atlantic 

 coast. But those found in the Gulf of Mexico 

 are much coarser in shell and meat, possessing 

 a somewhat larger head, those of Texas being 

 particularly gross. The farther north the habi- 

 tat of the salt-water terrapin, the more delicate 

 and highly flavored is its flesh. Instances have 

 been known of " diamond-backs " being caught 

 at Hell Gate, East river, N. Y. At Shrewsbury 

 and at other places on the New Jersey coast 

 they were abundant in the winter of 1885-'86. 

 The dealers have divided the " diamond-back " 

 into three classes, based on the difference in 

 size and sex. The largest are the females, 

 which are called " cows," the length of whose 

 under shell is six inches or more. The largest 

 cow ever found measured nine and a half 

 inches in length. As a rule, only " full-count " 

 terrapins that is, terrapins of not less than six 

 inches in length contain eggs. These eggs 

 are the tidbits of the epicure, and for this rea- 

 son the price of cows varies from $15 to $50 

 a dozen ; extra large cows, when scarce, bring- 

 ing $60 a dozen. Frequently a large cow will 



have 100 eggs. To distinguish the "full 

 counts " the dealers use a little notched stick, 

 with which they measure the under shell. Un- 

 less the shell overlaps the end of the stick, the 

 terrapin does not pass inspection. The second 

 class are about five inches in length, are called 

 " heifers,' 1 and command a price of from $3 

 to $8 a dozen. The smallest of all are the 

 males or u bulls," measuring only four and a 

 half inches on the under shell, and are distin- 

 guished from young terrapin by a slight groove, 

 which extends lengthwise on the under shell. 

 These are only edible when used in soups, and 

 bring about $3 a dozen. The terrapins that 

 reach our markets are either freshly caught or 

 are from the pens where they have been re- 

 tained. The former are the most delicious. 

 They are found during the winter hibernating 

 in the mud, and are then very fat and juicy. 

 At the approach of cool weather the terrapins 

 leave the deep channels of the bays and creeks, 

 and bury themselves in the muddy shore banks. 

 A favorite bedding-place is on a shelving point 

 at the intersection of a narrow drain with 

 some wide creek. They bury themselves from 

 six inches to five feet below the surface. Al- 

 though hidden from view, they leave signs that 

 lead to their detection. At several localities 

 where terrapins are numerous, persons make a 

 living by capturing them. At low tide the 

 terrapin-hunter searches the marshes with a 

 spear-shaped stick to probe the likely places. 

 Either an indentation on the surface of the 

 mud or a tiny air-hole gives him the clew. 

 Four or five terrapins are generally found in one 

 bed, of which two or three are females. The 

 labor incidental to terrapin-hunting is very 

 great, and the most expert hunter is lucky to 

 average two " full counts " a day during the 

 early season. During the cold weather terrapins 

 never attempt to bite, although they are restless 

 when confined where the temperature is warm. 

 If it is too hot, they die. On the other hand, 

 if properly packed in a barrel with sea-grass in 

 autumn, and kept in a cool cellar, they will 

 hibernate until warm weather, and under these 

 conditions they lose nothing in weight. The 



Eenned terrapins are netted in seines in the 

 irge channels during the summer, and are then 

 wary and vicious. Being deprived of their 

 natural food, penned terrapins become tough 

 and lose their high flavor. The pens are con- 

 structed on the shores, that the water may 

 flood them at every incoming tide. It was 

 found that terrapins bred while thus penned, 

 and this suggested the idea of artificial culture. 

 It was first attempted at Mobile, Ala,, where an 

 immense pen was built. The females bedded 

 on the approach of cold weather, and in the 

 early spring laid their eggs, from 25 to 100. 

 In two or three months the eggs were found 

 to hatch out, and the pen was filled with young 

 terrapins. The success of this undertaking in- 

 duced others to attempt the raising of terra- 

 pins, and pens were constructed at points on 

 Chesapeake Bay, Shrewsbury river, Long Isl- 



