The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-04-11
FROG FARMING.
How Maine Man Thought He Had Them
When lie Didn't

49," "a stetttsC AbcuEht re lncsn
When lie Didn't.
Il see by The Herald that a New
York restaurateur is going TO Man
chester, n. H.. with the intention of
raising frogs for the Boston Market >"
said q Maine man toa reporter yester-
day. Now, I'll bet the best pair of
boots I've got, " he continued that he
will be disappointed Whyl 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 Ban
gor some years ago. There was
prominent Bangorian. bank presi-
dent, wealthy, and holding o tip top
position i'll the business world, but a
trifle eccentric. He made lots of money
in his regular business, but he was
forever inventing something which
he believed would make him q million
aire, and into these schemes he put
good deal Of cash which never came
out again He didn't know discour>
agemcnt, though, and would como up
smiling with something new every
time one of his pet projects was
knocked into q cooked hat. Well, he
got the idea which has seized the New
York man, that there WAS an immense
profit 10 be made by raising frogs for
the Boston market He had charm.
ing bit of lawn adjoining his residence,
and this he decided to make the hatch
ing ground. He liad a big. round
shallow pit dug, and the bottom of il
stoned and cemcnted. SO it wouldn't
leak. The dirt taken out was made
into a circular embaukment around
the pool, aud about the edges he set
out rushes and other fresh water
plants, TO give the frogs a nice hiding
place. He had water turned in
through special line Of pipes, at
great cost, and the pond thus formed
was to all appearances just the place
that a fog with luxurious tastes
would delight to inhabit Then he
enlisted the services of all tho small
boys in the neighborhood to catch tad
poles and little frogs, paying them
literally, and in short time his pond
was populous with the squimpers 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 crunlbs and
other delicacies he thought they
might like. All went well. The
colony throye wonderfully; the tad
poles developed into little frogs, and
the little frogs fast grew TO fat bull
paddoclls,' The air in the vicinity
fairly throbbed with their shrili songs
and dolorous grunts of an evening"
and people came from far and near To
see the wonderful sight. One night
New York friend of the frog culturist
came i'll on the late train and was
| taken TO his house. Fhe newcomer
noticed the unusual sounds and asked
their meaning, whercupon his host re-
vealed TO him the whole scheme, and
received his congratulations on the
promising look of tho enterprise. Be-
fore the two separated Gor' the night
they agreed to go in tho carly morn
ing and inspect tho pool. They kept
| their agreement, and, not long after
| dawn, sailed out, each carrying q
quota CT food for the croakers. All
was silent when they reached the
pond Never mind, said the frog
| farmer, just you wait until | throw
in this chopped liver and you'll see
plenty Of thcai.' iIc cast Ills painful
OF tho dainty far out, and it fell into
the water with a tremendous splash.
But there was no response; no angular
head with gogglo eyes appeared in the
| vicinity; no spfawiing legs were seen
| kicking under the surface; there was
not single 'ttcachug' TO denote the
plunge of cnoaaer from the rushy
banks, Throw yours in now, said
the host, and the guest complied. But
when this splash had died away the
placid pool '9as disturbed by no move
ment. We'll, this Is singular, ex-
claimed the puzzled cuitivator; there's
enough Of EN- about hero, and | never
knew en- to hide like this before
So the two walked around and around
the pond, inteEtly Watching. They
saw nothing, however, and when at
last the now nettied bank president
seized Il pole and threshed the weeds
and rushcs, he did not scare up any
thing Painting ond per5piri1g with
his cXcrtion3-hc W25 n portly man-
the inventor Cf frog farming, morti-
fed by his failure 10 astonish his
friend, gave up his search tempo
rarily, and thcy went into the house
for breakfast. That disposed of, tho
quest was resumed, but neither then
nor ever since las frog been seen in
the vicinity.
Every kicker OF them all had mi
grated elsewhere during the night.
And upon my word and honor this
is tFpo story. - Boston Herald