The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-09-06
WATER FARMING.
A Good Profit Raising Fish and Frogs
for Market.
From the indianapolis News.

From the indianapolis News.
1t has not been many years since
water farming was added to the posi-
bilities of agriculture" in Indiana.
1t began as a diversion. 1t has be-
come a business. Enough time has
now elapsed to demonstrate that wa
ter farming may be- made practicable
and proftable-at least as profitable
as some other rural occupations, and
more enticing than the ordinary life
of an agriculturist. 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 i'm watar farming
in Indiana is Joseph Manlove, Of Mil
ton. Seven years ago he bought
small piece OF low land lying between
the White Water canal and White
Winter river He determined TO food
the low land and to add to his posses
sions the adjoining high land for park
purposes. His place now includes Ia
acres of water and 81 of land. His
business is largely with the water and
only incidentally with the dry land.
His first purpose was to establish a
carp pond, from which the fish mar
ket might be supplied. This he accom-
plished in two years with compare
tive ease. Now ne has practically an
unlimited quantity of this variety 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 a vast sup
ply of black bass. They have grown
finely, and next year bass fishing will
be "put on the market" Bass prom
Use so much better than carp that
Farmer" Manlove uses his young
carp az 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 a
breeding place for frogs. They breed
and grow rapidly. Four thousand
tadpoles were put in this breeding pen
early in the spring Many Of them are
now OF remarkable size. Next season
they will be giants--big, 10 inch long
cultivated" bull frogs, worth $3.50
and So a dOzen---not the little marsh
frog, but the big fellows with Herr
Fischer voices. In catching them for
market light at night is used. They
stare at the light and can be caught
and handled with ease in it's glare. In
catching large quantities OF carp the
lake is drained off. I'm winter the
marketable fish are kept in small
ponds.
1t is interesting to observe the wa
ter farmer at his work. He can use a
horse for side purposes, but he needs
neither plOw, planter nor reaper.
Suppose he had gone out to feed. He
has with him middlings or some other
grain. He goes to the breeding pond,
sounds a gong or blows a whistle and
thousands of frogs come hopping from
their shelter. They eat the food RAJ
yenOusly and become so tame that the
farmer handles them as a 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 boy takesIto apple dumping"
Part of the season it is not necessary
to feed my stock at all. The water
grass seed makes the finest of food for
the fish, and at this time of the year
rarely prepare fish for the table
that l do not find him filled withgra
seed