Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-13
LIFE ON A WATER FARM.
There II Profit I'm Raising Fish and
Frogs for Market.

From the Indianapolis News
1t has not been many years since water farm
ing was added to the possibilities OF .saericul.
ture" in Indiana. 1t began as diversion, II
has become q business. Enough time has now
elapsed to demonstrate that water farming NAV
be made practicable and prof table-at least a.
profitable as some other rural OCCUPATIONS and
more enticing than the ordinary life Of an agri-
culturist. As much money can be made off an
acre Of water as off an acre of land, including
well-located fish and frog ponds ON the one
hand and ordinary farming on the other.
One of the pioneers in water farming in In
diana is Mr.. Joseph Manlove of Milton. Seven
years ago he bought a small piece of low land
lying between the White Water canal and
White Water (river). He determined to food
the low land and to add to his possessions the
adjoining high land for park purposes His
place now includes fourteen acres Of water and
twenty-one of land. His business is largely
with the water and only incidentally with the
dry land. His first purpose was to establish
carp pond from which the fish market might
be supplied. This was accomplished in two
years with comparative ease Now he has
practically an unlimited quantity OF this va
riety of fish. However. the public taste also
calls for bass, and Manlove determined to add
this variety to his supply. His lake is now
stocked with vast supply of black bass. They
have grown finely, and next year bass fishing
much better than carp that Farmer" Manlove
uses his young carp as food for his bass.
Still another department" has been added
to the farm" this season-frogs. Four acres of
shallow water, well grown in flags, were set
apart as breeding place for frogs. They
breed and grow rapidly. Four thousand tad
poles were put in this breeding pen early in
he spring. Many of them are now of market
able size. Next season they will be giants
big. ten-inch long cultivated" bull frogs,
worth 81. and 50 dozen-not the little
marsh frog, but the big fellows with Herr
FISCHER voices. In catching them for market a
light at night is used They stare at the light
and can be caught and handled with ease in its
glare. In catching large quantities of carp the
lake IL drained off. In winter the marketable
fish are kept in small ponds.
1t Is interesting to observe tho water farmer
at his work. He can use Il horse for side pur-
poses, but be needs neither pillow. planter nor
reaper Suppose he has gene out to feed. be
has with HIM middlings or some other grain.
He goes to the breeding pond, sounds "a gong
or blows n whistle and thousands OF frogs come
hopping from their shelter. They eat the food
ravenously and become SO tame that the farmer
handles them as woman does her pet
chickens. The same food is just the thing for
young and old carp. Fish and frogs take to
grain and grain products" said Mr.. Manlove,
like a boy takes to apple dumping. Part o.
the season 1t Is not necessary to feed my stock
at all. The water grass seeds make the finest
OF food for the fish. and at this time of the
year l rarely prepare a fish for the table
that do not find him filed with grass seeds. a"