Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-09-26
Life on a Water Farm.

1t has not been many years since water
farming was added to the possibilities of
agriculture in Indiana. 1t began as a
diversion. 1t has become a business.
Enough time has now elapsed to demon
strate that water farming may be made
practicable and proftable-at least as pro-
ftable 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 farm
ing on the ether.
One OF the pioneers in water farming in
Indiana is MI. Joseph Manlove of Milton.
Seven years ago he bought small piece of
low land lying between the White Water
Canal and White Water (river). He de-
termined to flood 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 wa
ter and only incidentally with the dry land
His first purpose was to establish a 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
variety of fish. However, the public taste
also calls for bass, and ManlOve deter
mined 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 market" Bass promise so mush better
than carp that Farmer Manlove uses his
young carp as food for his bass.
Still another department" has been adj
ded to the farm" this season-frogs. Four
acres of shallow water, we'll grown in
flags, were set apart as a breeding place
for frogs. They breed and grow rapidly.
Four thousand tadpoles were put into this
hr9pHiOO-Dan ga r1V in the SDriuO MaDy
of them are now of a marketable size
Next season they will be giants-big. ten
inch long cultivated bullfrogs, worth
$3.50 and So dozen-not the little marsh
frogs, but the big fellows with Herr Fis-
cher voices. In catching them for market
light at night is used. They stare at the
light, and can be caught and handled with
titles 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 for
side purposes, but he needs neither plough,
planter, nor reaper. Suppose he has gone
out to feed. He has with him middlings OF
some other grain. lie COOS to the breeding
pond, sounds gong or blows 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 boy takes to apple dumpling Part
of the season it is not necessary to feed my
stock at all. The Water-graSS seeds make
the finest food for the fish, and at this time
OF the year | rarely prepare fish for the
table that | do not find him filled with
grass seeds. Indianapolis NeaCS.