Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-04-05
FROG FARMING.
How a Maine Man ExperImented
and Failed in His Experiment.


81 see that New York restaurateur is
going TO Manchester, N. H., with the inten-
ton of raising frogs for the Boston
Market" said Maine man TO a Boston
Herald reporter. "Now, III bet the best
pair of boots I've got" he continued, 'that
he will be disappointed. Why's Simply be-
cause he can't do il, 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 "a prominent Bangorian, bank
president wealthy and holding a tip top
position in the business world, but IA trific
eccentric. He made lots of money in his
regular business, but he was forever invent
ing 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 dis
couragement though, and would come up
smiling with something new every time one
OF his pet projects was knocked into IA cooked
hat. Well, he got the idea which has seized
tins New York man, that there was an inn
mense profit to be made by raising frogs for
the Boston market He had charming bit
of lawn adjoining his residence, and this he
decided TO make the Matching ground. He
had big, round shallow pit dug. and the
DoltOiu OF III ana ccfncuteu so III
wouldn't leak The dirt taken out was
made into circular embanxment around the
pool, ana about the edges he set out rushes
and other freshwater plants 10 give the
frogs nice hiding place. He had water
turned in through "A special line of pipes at
great cost, and the pond thus formed was
to all appearances Just the pace that frog
with luxurious tastes would delight to in
habit. Then he enlisted the services of all
the small boys in the neighborhood to catch
tadpoles and little frogs paying them liber-
ally, and in Il short time his pond was pom
ulous with the squrmers and jumpers To
be sure they would have plenty TO eat he
supplied his pets with frequent and generous
repasts OF minced liver, white bread crumbs
and other dehcacies he thought they might
like
"All went well. The colony throve won
derlully; the tadpoles developed into little
frogs and the little frogs fast grew To fat
bull paddocks.' The AIR in the vicinity
fairly throbDed with their shrll songs and
dolorous grunts OF an evening and people
came from far and near ~ SEQ the wonder
full sight, One night New York friend OF
the frog culturist came in Oh the late train
and was taken 10 his house The newcomer
noticed the unusual sounds and asked their
meaning. Whereupon his host revealed TO
him the whole scheme and received his con-
gratulations on the promising look of tho
enterprise. Before the two separated for
the night they agreed TO so in the early morn
Ing ana the pool. IucN kept lUctr
agreement and not long after dawn SAILED
out each carrying quota Of food for the
croakers. All was silent when they reach
cd the pond Never mind said the farm
err, Just you wait until throw in this chop
ped liver and you'll see plenty Of them He
cast his pailful of the dainty for out and i.
fell into the water with a tremen"ous splash.
But there was no response; no angular head
with google eyes appeared in the vicinity; no
SPRAYING legs were seen kicking under the
surface; there was not "A single 'ker-chug' to
denote the plunge of a croker 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
disturbed by no movement wen, this is
singular, exclaimed the puzzled cultivator;
there's enough Of 'em about here and | nov
er knew of EN- TO hide like this before SO
the two walked around and around the
pond, intentlY watching. They saw moth
ing, however and when at last the now net
tied bank president seized pole and thrash
ed the weeds and PUSHES. he did not scare
up anything. Painting and pcrspiring with
his eXertious-for he was a pOrtly man the
inventor Of frog farming mortified by his
failure 10 astOnsh 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 a frog been seen in the vic4n
ity.
Every kicker Of them al had migrated
elsewhere during the night.
And upon my word ana honor this is a
trne story -