Show TURTLE FARMINa A flotilla aiu opinion of n mr II 11 T ailing alio has alio subject of turtle farming considerable was recently interviewed what is your opinion of turtle farm ing asked the reporter ot mr ailing vali from what I 1 know 0 green they are found in certain port ious of florida I 1 dont oilier speculation that will compare with it five thousand dollars invested in a turtle farm will at alio end of lire cars return alio princia il with the interest at bol loss forty per cent per compounded to ay nothing of a subsequent return which will bo equal annually to eliat of alio liolu year epou what do you base youir conclusions clu well cloven twelfths ot alio supply that go into ho new york come from alio waters ol 01 seikh florida aud tho west indies this supply 13 annually about ten per cent this fact will insure future prices being at least as high M they arc now ono female green weighing from three hundred tc four hundred pounds will lay from four to eight times during alio season and from buo ouo bundred to two liun dred and fifty each time say she lay four is less than alio average and ono hundred eggs each time which Is also below the her seasons laying will to four Inin drol of these four hundred eggs whoa layce and hatched under ordinary circumstances not more than two or three in all probability will ever como to maturity this great waste is adno to the enemies of tho turtle tho aru bayed in abo sand alio young lurtice when hatched being about tho size of a silver dollar and their shells carli lagin oils they meet at tho edgo of tho water a small of hark and great numbers of bArac iida and n great majority of them aro devoured before they can get into deep water it these young turtles could bo protected from their natural enemies and at alio llio same time kept within control is no reason why turtle farming or tho raising of turtles not bo wonderfully could be accomplished I 1 think by stretching across tho mouth of somo of tho coves which indent alio western coast of discanno Disc ayno day in dado county n bonco of galvanized iron wiro net with about an inch mesh I 1 am acquainted quain ted with 1 locality such a finco could be constructed at a cost not to exceed eliat would enclose about eight hundred acres of water this cove is entirely suitable for the purpose being a natural resort of 3 largo number of turtles at present containing deep water for lliam to lay in during tho cold weather as well as banks and shoals for feeding grounds it is also surrounded on UK land aido by a dense growth of man groves the foliage of which is the best possible food for turtle t they could bu fed in this way in addition to aliat they would naturally get from the space with a minimum cost and trouble after having this cove I 1 should eoina it for the purpose of removing all enemies of alio young turtle I 1 should then stock it with one hundred female turtles of not less alian three pounds weight tho number of eggs laid by one huu decd turtle s during tho arst season would bo over forty every turtle egg deposited in alio llio sand hatch protected from their enemies with an abunda of suitably suit ablo food there is no reason why a very largo percentage of forty thousand should not como tu maturity but to bo on the safe side wu will say only one hall come to maturity or the ago of live years you would then have live years after your investment twenty turtles A turtle four or live joara old will bring more per pound than an older one at live acara a turtle will weigh from thirty to forty pounds suppose they only weigh twenty coundi turtles of eliat weight aro worth now in new york market from twenty two to twenty eight conla per pound the price must constantly with tho diminishing supply I 1 only get twenty cents per pound that will give me your dollars apiece for my turtles or eighty thousand dollars for my twenty thousand turtles suppose hat my figures which leavo been below tho minimum to start and twice cut in liala are still too large and suppose that I 1 only realize forty thousand dollars for the first five tears profit that would bo i very respectable return for the live thousand dollars which it would bo necessary to invest and remember too eliat this is not ahn and but only the limit of your annual outcome or the result of tho farat years laying after ivo years tharo is no reason that I 1 cau see why theio figures should not represent the annual output of tha farm As I 1 said it would cost in she locally I 1 leavo in view twelve hundred dollars to construct tho fence female turtles weighing from three hundred to four hundred pounds can bo bought foi three cents per pound that with tho cost of collection and transportation would make my one brood turtles cost mo about sixteen hundred dollars add lo 10 two items the cost of n small steam yacht together with a scow and drag for collecting food from the neighboring banks and bars and you have alio llio total amount necessary for the the brood turtles cost mo only three cents per pound this is because turtles of that alro are not salable those weighing from twenty to forty pounds will bring a better price per pound than at any other age or size terrapins have been atud are being profitably raised in this mannoring man norin lary land delaware and new jersey and inasmuch as green turtles arc worth double per pound what terrapin are I 1 cant see why this plan is not entirely profitable jacksonville times union |