The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-04-18
FROG FARMING,
How Maine Man Experimented and
Failed in His Experiment.

How a Maine Man ExperImented and
Failed in His Experiment.
81 see that New York restaurateur
is going to Manchester, n. H., with
the intention of raising frogs for the
Boston market. said Maine man to
n Boston Herald reporter. Now, I'll
bet the best pair of boots I've got" he
continued. ''that he will be disap-
pointed. Why? Simply because he
can't do it, that's all. Let me tell you
of an experiment of this sort that was
tried away down in Bangor some years
ago. There was prominent Bangorl-
an, bank president, wealthy and
holding tip-top position in the busi-
ness world, but trifie eccentric. He
made lots of money in his regular busi-
ness, but he was forever inventing
something which he believed would
make him a millionaire, and into these
schemes he put good deal of cash
which never came out again. He
didn't know Encouragement, though,
and would come up smiling with
something new every time one of his
pet projects was knocked into a cooked
hat. Well, he got the idea which has
seized this New York man, that there
was an immense profit to be made by
raising frogs for the Boston market.
He had a charming bit of lawn adjoin-
ing his residence, and this he decided
to make the Matching ground. He had
a big, round, shallow pit dug, and the
bottom of it stoned and cemented so it
wouldn't leak. The dirt taken out was
made into circular embankment
around the pool, and about the edges
he set out rushes and other freshwater
plants to give the frogs a nice hiding
place. He had water turned in through
a special line of pipes at a great cost,
and the pond thus formed was to all
appearances just the place that frog
with luxurious tastes would delight to
inhabit. Then he enlisted the services
of all the small boys in the neighbor-
hood to catch tadpoles and little frogs,
paying them literally, and in a short
time his pond was populous with the
squirmers and jumpers. To be sure
they would have plenty to eat he sup
piled his pets with frequent and gener-
Gus rcpasts of minced liver, white
bread crumbs, and other delicacies he
thought they might like.
''All went well. The colony throve
wonderfully; the tadpoles developed
into little frogs and the little frogs
fast grew to fat bull paddocks.' The
air in the vicinity fairly throbbed with
their shrill songs and dolorous grunts
of an evening and people came from
far and near to see the wonderful
sight. One night a New York friend
of the frog culturist came in on the
late train and was taken to his house.
The newcomer noticed the unusual
sound and asked their meaning.
Whereupon his host revealed to him
the whole scheme and received his
congratulations on the promising look
of the enterprise. Before the two
separated for the night they agreed to
go in the early morning and inspect
the pool. They kept their agreement
and not long after dawn sailed out,
each carrying quota Of food for the
croakers. All was silent when they
they reached the pond Never
mind said the frog farmer, lust YOU
wait until / throw in this chopped liver
and you'll see plenty of them He
cast his painful of the dainty far out
anu IL loll IllO tuC "dtti Will lT0-
mendous splash. But there was no re-
sponse; no angular head with google
eyes appeared in the vicinity; no
sprawling legs were seen kicking I'M
der the surface; there was not single
.ker-chug' to denote the plunge of a
croaker from the rushy banks. Throw
yours in now.' said the host, and the
guest complied. But when the splash
had died away the placid pool was dis
turbed by no movement. We'll, this
is singular exclaimed the puzzled cul-
tivator; there's enough of 'em about
here and | never knew of EN- to hide
like this before SO the two walked
around and around the pond intently
watching. They saw nothing, how
ever, and when at last the now nettled
bank president seized a pole and
thrashed the weeds and rushes, he did
not scare up anything. Painting and
perspiring with his exertions-for he
was pOrtlv man-the inventor of frog
farming, mortified by his failure to
astonish his friend, gave up his search
temporarily and they went into the
house for breakfast. That disposed of,
the quest was resumed, but neither
then nor ever since has frog been
seen in the vicinity.
Every kicker of them all had
migrated elsewhere during the nj ght.
And upon MY word and honor this
is true story