Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-12-19
The Culture Of Frogs,

The use of frogs for food is rapidly
spreading al over the country. In the
large cities the large hotels and res
lauranis use them in large quantities,
and while the taste for the delicately
afored and sweet hind quarters of the
.roog was brought hither by foreigners,
i IS now acquired by the native popu-
iation, who are large consumers. And
why not7 The frog is as clean in food
and habit as any fish, and far preferable
in this way to Holsters, some fish, and
many birds which are regarded as de-
sirable or attractive food. The true
edible frog, (Rana esculenta), is a ma
tive of Europe and is not found in
America. hut from the writer's observa-
tlons some years ago in frog farm in
France, near Paris, this peculiar spe-
cies is by no means the only edible frog
used in Europe. for the common bull
frog (Rana muGiens seemed TO be the
most numerous occupant of the bitches
and the grassy banks of the preserve.
This frog is easily recognized by its
coarse eroaking, made by peculiar
ihechanism OF tie larynx, which is
like the membrane OF drum stretched
over hollow bowl, and which on
the impact of current of air
forced upon it wibrates more
noisily than musically. The American
edible frog is the common marsh frog,
Rama palustris,) an elegant and agile
creature with beautiful variegaied
green skin. But the bullfrog is also
largely used, AMI, in fact, any other
species which can be captured by the
now numerous hunters who supply the
market. The hind quarters are only used,
and sell for seventy-iive cents pound.
Under systematic cultivation the frog
is improved in weight and quality, be-
cause its food can be chosen for it, and
can be provided in more abundance,by
the better arrangement of the ground.
Some OF the largest European bullfrogs
measure eight inches in length, the legs
not included. The method of culture
is as follows: A marshy piece of land,
abundantly supplied with pure spring
water, is laid oil into regular lines Of
bitches about three feet wide, these
having sloping grassy banks and inter-
walls between them of few feet, which
are covered with grass and other vege-
tation. The bitches are stocked with
aquatic plants, as watercress, ETC., upon
which large number Of snails and
water insects gather; carp are also kept
in the bitches, and as they feed upon
the vegetation and produce large
quantity of spawn they usefully turn
their food for acceptable diet for the
frogs. The frogs are carefully pre-
served from snakes, birds, fish, small
turtles, weasels, and other creatures
which would devour their eggs, or the
young tadpoles, and at the spawning
season. an enormous quantity of the
eggs, connected together in long strings,
cover the edges of the moist, grassy
banks. The frogs are prepared for
market by skinning and cutting off the
hind quarters, and the semi-transpar-
ence and clearness of the delicate flesh
certainly 60 far to remove any foolish
squeamishness an inexperienced person
might feel in regard to making meal
of them. No doubt the culture of frogs,
as a business, would be quite profitable
wherever the proper conditions are
found, as the New York market alone
is obliged to get considerable portion
of its supply from Canada and other
distant places. Y. Times.