IV CULTIVATION OF THE SNAIL FOR FOOD 1 19 



Escargotieres, or snail-gardens, still exist in many parts of 

 Europe, e.g. at Dijon, at Troyes and many other places in 

 central and southern France, at Brunswick, Copenhagen, and 

 Ulm. The markets at Paris, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Toulouse, 

 Nantes, etc., are chiefly supplied by snails gathered from the 

 open country, and particularly from the vineyards, in some of 

 which Helix pomatia abounds. In the Morning Post of 8th 

 May 1868 there is an account of the operation of clearing the 

 celebrated Clos de Vougeot vineyard of these creatures. No 

 less than 240 gallons were captured, at a cost in labour of over 

 100 francs, it being estimated that these snails would have dam- 

 aged the vines to an extent represented by the value of 15 to 20 

 pipes of wine, against which ma}^ be set the price fetched by the 

 snails when sold in the market. 



It is generally considered dangerous to eat snails at once 

 which have been gathered in the open country. Cases have 

 occurred in which death by poisoning has resulted from a neglect 

 of this precaution, since snails feed on all manner of noxious 

 herbs. Before being sent to table at the restaurants in the great 

 towns, they are fattened by being fed with bran in the same way 

 as oysters. 



The Roman Catholic Church permits the consumption of 

 snails during Lent. Very large numbers are eaten in France 

 and Austria at this time. At the village of Cauderon, near 

 Bordeaux, it is the proper thing to end Carnival with especial 

 gaiety, but to temper the gaiety with a dish of snails, as a fore- 

 taste of Lenten mortification. 



The following species appear to be eaten in France at the 

 present day: H. pomatia, aspersa, nemoralis, horteyisis, aperta, 

 pisana, vermiculata, lactea. According to Dr. Gray, the glassmen 

 at Newcastle used to indulge in a snail feast once a year, and a 

 recent writer informs us that H. aspersa is still eaten by working 

 people in the vicinity of Pontefract and Knottingley.^ But in 

 this country snails appear to be seldom consciously used as an 

 article of food; the limitation is necessary, for Lovell tells us 

 that they are much employed in the manufacture of cream, and 

 that a retired (!) milkman pronounced it the most successful 

 imitation known. 



Preparations made from snails used to be highly esteemed as 

 1 Roberts, Zoologist, 1885, p. 425. 



