New-York tribune., 1901-02-03
FROGS FOR MARKET.
A BIG HATCHERY TO BE ESTABLISHED
IN MASSACHUSETTS.

From The Boston Transcript.
Frog cultivation is the latest industry to at
tract the attention of Boston capitalists.
farm in Ware has been purchased for the pur-
pose and the growth of frogs will be undertaken
this spring scale which has never been
attempted in this country.
The principal promoters are Charles L. Flint
and Z. r. Flint. of Boston; George FernaId,
of Portland. Me- and Frederick a. Merrill of
chusetts Frog Company under the laws Of
Maine. "A farm of ten acres on the outskirts of
Ware was purchased from Daniel $. Kennedy.
and is now being equipped for the undertaking.
The land is on the border of Eiardwick Pond,
and was a part of the old King estate.
The tract is admirably suited to it's require
ments A running stream passes through H.
furnishing an adequate supply of water. The
system of cultivation will be by means of
series of artificial ponds. These are now in
process of construction. They will be of various
sizes and will be connected by series of locks
They vii! be fitted with walls and bottoms of
cement The smallest Of the series will be about
10 feet by feet in size. In these the eggs will
be hatched. and as the creatures develop they
will be transferred into larger ponds. When
they are year old they will occupy bodies of
water about ten feet square, and during the
second year will be transferred to ponds 80 feet
square When two years old the frog Is full
grown. and will be ready for the market.
1t is expected that an ample supply of eggs
for stocking the hatchery win be found in the
ponds Of neighbOring towns, and as the eggs
germinate easily no trouble is anticipated in the
propagation. The young animal feeds on sub
stance found on the surface of the eggs so that
no food will have to be supplied durine, the early
growth. When the creature reaches the tadpOle
stage a quantity of crustacea will be supplied.
The lower forms of animal life will be procured,
like the frogs eggs from neighboring ponds. and,
they propagate rapidly, will soon furnish
incessant supply OF food in the artificial ponds.
The cultivation IS a matter of small expense
and trouble and yet the returns yielded will be
very large for the amount invested. Arrange
ulentS are being made for the growth Of from
twenty thousand to forty thousand frogs year,
and the facilities be increased so that an
output OF one hundred thousand can be made
II the demand warrants After the ponds are
stocked there would be only slight increase of
labor required TO effect the growth of the larger
number.
found in colleges and medical schools. There is
a growing demand for the creatures for use in
the study OF natural history. and especially for
purposes of medical research. At present the
supply is insufficient and students especially
IN winter. find il difficult to procure any speci-
mems. The cultivation of the frog has hitherto
been promulgated only on a small scale. and
chiefly as food. schools have been obliged 70
send to North and South Carolina for their
specimens and then have not been able TO pro-
cure the animals in the best condition. The
farm at Ware will be equipped with heating ap
paratus. that the supply will be constant and
students will be enabled to obtain the objects
of their experiments during the winter. when
they are most desired for study. During the
cold weather the frogs remain dormant in the
mud Large cakes OF this soil will be dug from
the ponds and removed TO the heaters. where
the frogs will be thawed out and sent to the
schools in a normal condition. so that the blood
circulation and the heart beat may be studied
under the best circumstances possible
Hotels and markets will also be supplied. The
building To be used as headquarters on the es-
tate iS about half bullt, and Will be ready
for occupancy in the spring. The plant will then
begin operations and il is expected that the sup
ply for hotels will be ready soon after the frost
is out of the ground. The company will not be
ready 10 furnish specimens for schools UNTIL
some time later.