The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-07
PROFITS IN cRoAKERS.
FROG FARMS FURNISH FINE FIELDS
FOR CAPITALISTS.
Easy work to Raise TndpoIes-Therc
Is ~ StcRdy Market for This Deli
cncy-Iiettcr Than Chickens.
From The Washligton Star.

Is % Stcndy Market for This Deli
cncy-Bettcr Than Chickens.
From the Washington Star.
1t has long been a wonder TO me-" said
a prominent fish merchant at the center
market the other day, why some Of the
enterprsing young men of Washington
do not turn their attention to frog cul-
ture. Lots OF people have made small for
tunes by raising chickens on a large scale
but there is even more money to be made
by cultivating green-back frogs"
Any one wishing to carry out this sug-
ge stion can find any number Of more or
less stagnant ponds in the outlaying dis
trcts, that could, with very little expense,
be converted into frog farms. and It is safe
to say that if the business were properly
looked after the managers would reap a
surprisingly large profit The man that
could raise a million OF frogs and get them
safely to market would be a wealthy per-
son. number OF Washington boys and
farmers in the country near the city de-
vote a good deal Of their time during the
summer months to catching and shipping
frogs to Washington, where they are al
ways in demand, and, although they
make very neat sum Of money by their
industry, they do not realize nearly as
much as they would If the business were
carried on in a systematic manner So far
as is known, there is not single frog
farm within 100 miles of Washington, or
any place where they are raised on econ
omic principles. Such establishments are
frequent in Massachusetts, and the frog
markets of Boston and New York are sup
piled almost entirely by these farms
The supply - never equal to the de-
mand. and Saddles" as the legs are
called, can always be disposed of TO re-
tail dealers from so cents to 81 a dozen,
according TO their size Those sold to the
clubs and hotels bring better prices, but
most of these establishments have reg
ular agents in the field, who send them
in as fast as caught.
1t requires very little capital to start
a frog farm. If there are no ponds in
the neighborhood where il is desired to
locate they can easily be made by dig
ging to the proper depth and filling in
with water from some nearby stream.
II is well not to have the ponds too largt
as trouble may be experienced in cap
turing the frogs when wanted for mar
ket. 1t is good plan, when the ponds
arc to be artiiiciaily constructed, to make
two one above the other, so that they
can be drained and the frogs caught
without difficulty. Ground should be
chosen that is rather springy or marshy,
and with soft muck at the bottom, as the
frogs hibernate in the mud during the
winter months. A light board fence
should be built around the pond in order
to keep out such enemies of the frogs as
lizards.s snakes and coons, and it s@1uiG
also be built close to the edge of the
water, so that no birds can stand on the
inside and pick up the pollywogs After
the pond has been prepared, the next
step is 10 secure the spawn. This can
be found in almost any pond or slug
gish stream inhabited by the long-dis-
tance Jumpers. A close Investigation
will reveal a small glutinous mass. which
is to be picked up with a dipper and
placed in a pail of water. Take it 10
your Matching box, which is made after
the fashion of a shad Matching box, two
feet long and eighteen inches wide, with
fine wire netting on the bottom. This
method need only be followed when 1t
is desired to distribute the young in va
rious ponds, as they viii hatch just as
well when deposited in the pond in the
first place. Great care should be taken
in gathering spawn not to get toad
spawn. The spawn of the frog is found
in a bunch, like a sponge Of jelly, and is
clear, with black spots in il.
II should be gathered very carefully, and
the jelly, which is essential to successful
Matching, should be broken as little as
possible. Toad spawn is laid in a string,
and when lying in the water is looks like
a glass tube with small shot distributed
through il at intervals.
The spawn will hatch in from seven to
ten days, according to the temperature or
the water, the warmer il Is the faster be-
ing the development No trouble viii De
had in feeding the poliywOgs, as nature