New-York tribune., 1904-08-28
RAISES BIG FROG CROPS.
Miss Siege Takes Up Profitable Branch of
Farming.

The frogs OF Contra Costa County have for sew
eraI months been IN winter quarters; that TO say
are deep in Contra Costas mud Four miles north
OF Berkeley Is CaHforuia's greatest summer resort
FOR the oullfrog and the Infantile tadpole This
on the farm OF Miss Edith Stege Hers the croak-
ing amphiban Is entertained IN manner worthy
OF beast that brings from s 90 TO s. q dozen
Three ponds have been constructed IN the rear OF
the grounds. the largest being 200 feet long Each
oblong OF water is the centre OF bit OF landscape
that this time Of the year Is tinctured with all
the greens and browns and secret shadows that
autumn brings earth Lilies. oleanders and
weeping willows. tapestried with vine and moss.
and ponderous with gloom. surround the temples OF
this frogland and filter the sunlight that falls
upon IL
Here in the twilights OF springtme the frog bulges
his cheeks and grunts his throaty melody across
the pond Another takes up the chant and then
another. until the precinct sounds II the earths
axis out of gear and creaked for lack OF oil
ing Besides the pleasure he takes In eating and
singing the frogs serious occupation is to be
caught and eaten This duty he shirk5 long
possible He will squat, seemingly absent-nInded
with springtme fanCies and blinking at the moon.
but at the suspicion OF a football looks not before
he leaps. but drops into the water and goes down
like a lost hope
Thousands OF these croakers assemble IN Miss
Stege's ponds every year. They have more than
paid for their board and lodging. When Miss Siege
fell heir to the place there was a mortgage on the
farm; the trogs helped pay it of Multtudes OF
the sott-hanked batrachians gave their lives and
legs in the general massacre which resulted. and
from the profits of which the farm. with its cows
and chickens and lone green parrot. was saved to
Last season was not run to great profit at the
froggery. The ponds had been overstocked; too
thIgE sage pudding pe;, The big frogs ate the
purposes. and the small ones becoming too scarce
The size OF the frogs at Siege 0he station Is
named after the principal Iandowne7) Is a topic
which Is seldom mentioned without preliminary
However without taking space for such purposes.
it may be said that the larger specimens OF bull
and are wholesaled at IS dozen. What they ap-
c6asciencs c5as Sss with the printer frog has been
known to swalloW 10 newly hats hatGhed chicken & pay
was y" sent from this ranch to the Island Of Hilo.
Of the Hawaiian group. OF the $40 shipped in wa
ter barrels only two died on the way, Frogs are
Ing their migration II is now said that the even
ing landscapes OF HtIo are noisy with these so
Miss Edith Siege proprietress OF the 115 acres
yor OF her daily cuitSation The Tanch IS not
mere butter and egg place. II Is the owners oc-
beautiful deep freed and romantic
There are no stOTSs S at Sggs the Tqgs have 70
them and their domain from her foster father
pop9Iation Miss siege gives them the care Of
scientist At the time that the amphbian loses his
Come a three chaInbered organ as with reptiles he
Is subject to many daneers OF MS constitution
gerry with a wink, that they liable to pneu-
monia. put mustard pasters their chests
until this crisis Of their lives is past and they are
well developed froggies and entitled to be eaten
As soon a the alternating season receives the
touch OF warm weather early frog bubbles his
way the surface OF the pond and sings a shriI
ditty his old college chum on the opposite bank
Others arrive and the pudGles long IN be-
coming populous. The frogs are duh skinned then
but sooa become corpulent and bright In a month
the generation Is likely TO be the age OF ma
torfty. He is then caught as he croaks by his na-
tive waters Is sent to the restaurant. where he
croaks again; then Is prepared for his destination
and croaks no more--tSan Francisco Examiner.