The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-07
FROG FARMING WOULD PAY.
NOT MUCH WORK, LITTLE TROU-
Bile, AND GOOD RETURNS.
From the Boston Transcript.


The United States fish commission Just
now is investigating the subject of frog
farming. 1t is believed that there ought
to be money in the business, considering
the large demand for the hind legs at
high prices. The principal market for
them is in New York city, where they
are gathered from all parts of the coun-
try, Fulton market alone selling from u.s.
900 to 100000 pounds annually. To fur
nish such enormous quantities of legs
must require several millions of frogs hav-
ing an average weight of half a pound.
Only a small outlay of cash and labor
should be required for establishing a frog
farm, and, once started, the enterprise
would run itself. the batrachians feeding
themselves and attending to their own
propagation. But. Notwithstanding IRE
quent stories about successful frog farms
printed in the newspapers, the fish com
mission has not been able to discover the
existence of single such plant m this
country, though there is one In opera-
ton at Bensford Ont, owned by a 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 New York. Mis-
souri, is the greatest frog-producing state:
the town of kennett alone ships 6OOOO
pounds of dressed frog legs annually, and
New Madrid is second with $4,000 pounds.
These figures are taken from the books
OF the railroad. The swamp lands of
missouri and Arkansas are the finest frog
N ha
found there being of the real bull species.
They are caught in all sorts OF ways, some
with hook and bit of red flannel. and
others by spearing and shooting. Tho
frog season begins about the middle of
March and lasts three months. At night
men go out In small boats which are ,Dro-
vided with lamps and big refiectors, The
light so blinds the frogs that the boat
can be padded right TO them, and they
are readily speared. Exceptional speci-
mems weigh as much as two pounds a
piece.
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.
ana they need no preparation unless the
planting OF bushes around the edges.
These serve as a protection against enc
mics to some extent, and have the further
advantage of attracting insects. Frogs
ANNh mainly oll luSttASs the reason why
they bite at a bit of red flannel is that
they mistake It for gaudy bug. It is a
good idea TO build a low board fence
around the pond I'm order TO keep out
snakes and small mammals that are fond
OF frogs. The fence should be close TO the
water. so that birds cannot stand on the
inside of Il and pick up the poliwogs.
Naturally, the first thing to do IL to Sc
cure some frogs for breeding. Any old
frogs will not do. Some people imagine
that frog Is a frog, and that that is all
there Is TO be said. But there are In fact
good many species OF frogs, and the
real bullfrog is the kind whose large and
muscular hind legs are so esteemed as a
delicacy. His scientific name Is Rama
Catosbyana The pond once stocked, the
frogs will take care OF themselves and
multiply rapidly IL they get enough TO eat.
But IL should be remembered that no in
sect Is of any use from their point of view
unless IL Is alive, and meat OF any kind
has no attraction for them. They want
live bugs. Another point well worth mem