The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-22
CATCHING FROGS FOR MARKET.
Occupation Which Maryianders
Have Found to BE Profitable.


Within recent years, says the Balti-
more Sun, a large trade has grown
up in Kent county in providing frogs
for market. The catching of frogs
for their legs has become a business,
and the financial returns are rather
handsome TO the few engaged in the
industry Along the small streams
tributary to- the large rivers the big
green or notified black frogs may be
found by thousands under the tufts of
flag or coarse grass. One frog shipper
has sent to the Baltimore market nun
dreds of frogs legs each season. and
has 50 increased the demand by the
superior size and flavor of the Kent
product that he finds it impossible to
meet the requirements of the trade.
Frog legs are consumed principally
by the patrons of the principal restaur-
ants. Frogs, when cooked arc a deli
cate white meat and much more tender
than fried chicken, very nourishing
and easily digested and are recon-
mended, when stewed, as one of the
best diets for invalids with delicate
stomachs. Only the hind legs and
quarters are eaten, and they are sent
to the market skinned and salted for
cooking.
The market frog catchers method
of capturing the game is to secure a
small, flat-bottomed boat, easy of man.
agement, and in the later afternoon,
when everything is still he nOiselessly
pushes his little craft along the shores
of the small creeks and coves. The
bullfrogs, as they are commonly known.
because of their deep, resonant voices.
are found sitting in a shallow pool or
in the mud under tufts of heavy grass
or flags.
The novelty and sport OF catching
this willy game are worth a row of
ten miles on hot afternoon. Two and
sometimes three ordinary sized perch
hooks are bound together and bated
with red flannel. The hooks are at
tached to long, tough angle fod. APP
preaching the game noiselessly and
with extreme caution, the red flannel
is gently moved within a few inches Of
the frogs mouth. As quick as light
ming and with a sharp croak the frog
dashes forward and swallows bait,
hooks and all. Then follow as gamey
struggles as any sportsman ever saw
with hook and line.
The amateur frog hunter usually pro-
vides himself with a cat-and-rat rife,
the shells: loaded with mustard seed
shot, and shoots his game, but this
is unSportsmanlike and is only popular
with the uninitiated. Mil ponds. too,
are favorlte haunts of the frog, and on
clear night the deep roar of the
bullfrog chorus may be heard for more
than a mile.
The old-time afore-de-war Kent
county cook has solved the mysteries
of the perfect preparation of the frog,
and for those who don't know how de-
licious frog s legs may be made many
a dainty dish is in store. After skinning
the legs should be placed in cold water
for several hours. then placed on a
plate and sailed. In several hours more
they are ready for cooking. The legs
of medium-sized frogs are preferable,
as the very large legs are liable to
be coarse in texture of flesh. The most
popular way in Kent to cook them is
by frying, but there are other ways of
making dishes of them to please the
palate Of the most exacting eDicure.