The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-02
LIFE ON A WATER FARM.
There Is Profit In Raising Fish an
Ernpa for Markat.

There Is Profit In Raising Fish ana
Frogs for Market.
1t has not been many years since water
farming was added to the possibilities OF
agriculture" in Indiana. 1t began as
diversion. 1t has become o business.
Enough time has now elapsed to Demon
strate that water farming may be made
practicable and proftable-at least as profit
able as some other rural occupation, ana
more enticing than the ordinary life OF an
agriculturist. AS much money can be maze
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.
One of the pioneers in water farming in In
diana is Mr.. Joseph Manlove of Milton Seven
years ago he bought small piece OF low ianu;
lying between the White Water Canal and
White Water (river). He determined to Hood
the low land and to add to his possessions the
adjoining high land for park purposes. Ills
place now includes fourteen acres OF water ana
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 III two
years with comparative ease. Now he mas
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 a vast supply of black
bass. They have grown finely, and next
year bass fishing will be put on the mar
ket." Bass promise so 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,
we're set apart as breeding place for frogs.
They breed and grow rapidly. -Four thou
sand tldpoles were put in this breeding pen
early in the spring. Many of them are now
of a marketable size. Next season they VIII
be aiants-big ten-inch long cultivated
bull frogs, worth 50 so and So dozen not
the little marsh frog, but the big fellows
with Herr Fischer voices. In catching them
for market light at night is used. Ihey
stare at the light, and can be caught ana
handled with ease in its glare. In catching
large quantities of carp the lake is drained
off. In winter the marketable fish are kept
in small ponds
1t is interesting to observe the water
farmer at his work. He can use horse Tor
side purposes but he needs neither ploW,
planter nor reaper. Suppose he has gone
out to feed. lie has middlings or some
other grain. He goes to the breeding pond;
saunds gong or blows whistle, ana
thousands of frogs come hopping from Their
shelter. They eat the food raven0usly, aud
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, ''llke
boy takes to apple dunpling. Part OF the
season it is not necessary to feed my stock
at all. The water grass seeds make the I'M
est of food for the fish, and at this time OF
the year | rarely prepare a fSh that do not
find filed with grass seeds. indianapolis