Fishing For Turtles

Terrapin or lurtlo fai-ms aro L'im in the Soutti and on the Pacific ooasb, but the business bas only been tried in New Enland as au experiment. As experiments, many of these havo bren fallares, so far as a money making basis is eonoerned, and many are now kepo up for the pleaaure of the owner, or by some hot' s prido in gerving turtle soup unadulterated. In ( , 1!. I., tbere .s a stnall pond tb at s well Btoeked with this toothsüine food animal. It, is a Binall covei'ins? about an aore, and located aear Diamond Hill. This small pond is fa'rly alive wlth thehardsholled n: id many an hour'a sportis founi npon the banks. Tiio pond is surroundud by a meadow, and an early visit, while the dew is on the grass, shows innumerable small paths whcro the turtles have been wa Icing for exercise and in si aroh uf food diu'.ng tho night. While thero is a great amount of pleasure i;i eating turtle soup, there is an equal amount in catching the "eritter." During tho earl ƒ tnorning hours, after his lordship haa returned irom his walk is the best time to fish for him. This may seem stainge, but flshing for them is the only method used here to capture them. They will be motionless near the surface, their great heads sticking out of the water liko the end of a big stek. If a fly or a bug falls into the water, down goes the turtle, and in an instant it has a luscious morsel. An earthworm is a desirable feast for a turtle, and these are generally used for bait. The tackle is very primitivo, and consists of a strong line and a codflsh hook. Bait the taook with a largo bunch of wornis, and throw in where the turtie was last seen, or if its head ia out of water, throw the bait directly in front of it. The b te is very easy, and when a short pull on the line commun;cates the fact to the angler that a turtle is at the other end, he must act carefully and qu ckly. A sharp jerk will generally fasten the hook into the horny mouth, and then the fun begins, especially if the turtle is a forty-pounder. It is one thing to fasten on to the turtle and another thing to land it safely. The chances are greatly in favor of the turtle if a novice is at one end of tho line, and an expert fares but little better if the turtie happens to take the bait near the bottom. The great secret in the landing of the game s to keep it from the buttom. As soon as the turtle finds itself hoo;ed it makes for the soft mud on the bottom, and is as safe there as a covéy of b.rds which takes to the swamp for protection when pursued by the hunter. The novice will invariab'y try to land his first turtle by in the line band over hand. By the Mine ten feet of the line is in there is a strong pull as if a snag hal been struck, and it generally proves to be a snag. The turtle sinks into the mud, and it is almost impossible to move it The only way to land the game is to take the iine over your shoulder as soon as you feel the strike, and run as fast as possible. As long as the turtle is kept in the water and on the jump you are sure of the game. As soon as it is landed it is killed hv shooting it in the