Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-25
FROG FARMING.
What U. S. Fish csmmissIon Flnas On
Studying Subject.

The United STATES uSn cOmmlSSlOnI
lust now is investigating the subject of
frog farming. 1t is believed that there
ought to be money in the business. con-
sidering the large demand for the hind
legs at high prices. The principal mar
ket for themis in New York city, where
they are gathered from all parts Of the
country, Fulton market alone selling
from $4,000 to 100000 pounds annually.
To furnish such enormous quantities.
of legs must require several millions
of frogs having an average weight OF
half a pound. Only q small outlay OF
cash and labor should be required for
establishing q frog farm, and, once
started, the enterprise would run IT.
self, the batrachians feeding themsel-l
yes and attending to their own propa
cation. But, notwithstanding frequentl
stories about successful frog farms
printed in the newspapers, the FISH
commission has not been able to dis
cover the existence of a single such
plant in this country, though there Isl
one in operation at Bensford. Ont,
owned by man named Wedlock.
So here is promising industry as
vet unborn in the United States. The|
frog crop at present is wholly wild,
and the bulk of it is marketed in Newl
York Missouri is the greatest frog
producing state; the town of Kenneth
alone ships $4,000 pounds of dressed
frog legs annually and New Madrid Is
second with $4,000 pounds. These fig
ures are taken from the books of the
railroads. The swamp lands of Mis-
souri, and Arkansas are the finest frog
growing areas in the world. the frogs
found there being of the real bull spec
les. They are caught in all sorts OF
ways, some with a hook and bit of red
flannel, and others by spearing and
shooting. The frog season begins
about the middle of March and lasts
three months. At night men go out in
small boats which are provided with
lamps and big refiectors. The light so
blinds the frogs that the boat can be
padded right up to them, and they are
readily speared. Exceptional speci-
mems weigh as much as two pounds
apiece.
The experts of the fish commission
say that the plant required for frog
farm is exceedingly simple and cheap.
Shallow ponds may be found almost
anywhere, and they need no prepara-
ton unless the planting of bushes
around the edges. These serve as a
protection against enemies to some ex-
tent, and have the further advantage
of attracting insects. Frogs feed
mainly on insects; the reason why they
bite at a bit of red flannel is that they
mistake 1t for q gaudy bug. 1t is a
good idea to build low board fence
around the pond in order to keep out
snakes and small mammals that are
I'M. oh h.
close to the water, so that birds can
not stand on the inside of it and pic'
up the pollywogs.
Naturally, the first thing to do is t.
secure some frogs for breeding. Any
old frogs will not do. Some people ima-
CINE that frog is frog, and that that
is all there is to be said. But there are
in fact good many species of frogs
and the real bull frog is the kline
whose large and muscular hind leg:
are so esteemed as a delicacy. Hi:
scientific name is Rama Catesbyana. Thu
pond once stocked, the frogs will takt
care of themselves and multiply rap
idly if they get enough to eat. But il
should be remembered that no insec
is of any use from their point of view
unless it is alive, and meat of any
kind has no attraction for them. They
want live bugs. Another point wei
worth mentioning is that the bottom
of the pond must be of soft mud, be
cause when winter comes the frogs 6;
to sleep until spring. They burrov
into the mud and there remain in 6
torpid state as long as cold weather
lasts.
When the last of the ice has gone, the
frogs come out of the mud and agar
take an active interest in life. Sprins
is the season when Mr.. Frog goes a
wooing. He is homogeneous in habit
and he employs the allurement of sons
to excite the tender emotions of hi.
lady-lOve. He has a fine bass voice
by means of which he entices the coy
Miss Frog. A lady frog does not sing
In the course of time the female frot
deposits in the water small glutinou'
mass of spawn; it looks like so mucf
jelly, with black spots in it, TIL
spawn may be Matched artificially in {
suitable hatchingbox, but this is hard
ly worth while inasmuch as it will
hatch itself just as WELL If gathered
for transfer to another pond, car,
should be taken to break it as little a:
possible. 1t will hatch in a week to ter
days.
Mr.. Lucas. the PSYCHOLOGIST of the Ma
tional museum, says that the frog j.
just about the most wonderful ANNA
in the world. 1t starts in life as a vege
table-eating fish, with gills and a tail
and later on turns into an air-breath
ing land animal, developing teeth ant
becoming a carnivorous quadruped
The toad is higher animal than tn.
frog because it gives birth directly tt
little air-breathing toads, whereas thu
frog lays eggs that produce fish-lik,
tadpoles. Mr.. Frog has skull of enor
nous size, with very small brai,
cavity. He has only nine vertebrae il
his backbone-fewer than any othe
animal-and possesses no ribs at all
mus he is obliged literally to swallow
by gulps the air he breathes, instead
OF projecting his chest like human
being and creating a vacuum for tn,
atmosphere to pour into. He has
Joint IN the middle Of each foot, ant
also a Joint in the middle of his back
Ihese extra hinges help him immense