Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-14

Although the national law makers
kicked vigorously on an appropriation
for continuing the governmental ex-
periments I'm frog farming, the work
viii go along Just the same. states and
individuals have demonstrated that
| there is big money in raising for the
market the low-browed songster of the
marsh, and even without the "scien-
tihc' assistance which the government
might be able to give in frog farming
there Is not likely to be a scarcity OF
frog legs Pennsylvania mainfhlns a
large frog farm, perhaps the most ex-
tenslve OF any state, but the largest in
dividual froggery is owned and run by
Miss Edith Siege, at Siege, Cal This
farm covers nearly ten acres. and last
year the young lady marketed more
than $500 dozen frogs legs, from which
she netted something more than $4,000
fairly good business for a freak
farm.
Terrapln and Grab Farms
In Maryland on the Chesapeake. near
Crisfield, Mr. Lavelette owns a terra
pin farm which covers several acres
and on which he has more than 100000
worth OF diamond backs, ranging in
size from that of a ten-cent silver
piece to the buster" terrapin, which
are worth as much as $3.50 dozen
Nothing has been offered to epicures
which can take the place of terrapin
and champagne, and Mr.. Lavelette has
never experienced any trouble in SELL
ing the output OF his farm. Terrapin
are getting scarcer every year, until
now large ones are worth their weight
In silver. Less than seventy-flve years
ago Maryland had to enact law pro-
hibiting slave owners from feeding
slaves terrapin meat oftener than twice
week, as the food was too rich and
produced disease. At that time terra
pin sold for as low as SO cents for a
wagon load. Washington and Lafay-
cite entered a protest at being fed ter
rapin at yorktown. There are other
terrapin farms on the Chesapeake, but
Mr.. Lavalette's is the largest in the
United States.
In the same section, too, there are a
number of crab farms, and the crab
farmers can match dollars with any
class Of small farmers in the country.
The crab season is a short one, and II
is easy money for hundreds of persons
on the eastern shore. The first ship
ment of any Importance from the
Chesapeake crab farm was in 1887,
when the output was valued at $S4, 900,
but it will now reach S650,0 with 5000
farmers and 1000 boats.
Raising Gourds In the South
NOl all uncommon SlADL IN some OF
the southern states is the gourd farm,
and it is an investment which pays
well. Recently Representative Adam
son of Georgia brought to q friend In
Washington a gourd with a handle
more than four feet in length and with
a beautifully shaped bowl not larger
than cocoanut. This species of gourd
is raised to be sold and used as
dipper. 1t is asserted that a drink
of water from a clean, well-seasoned
gourd Is better and sweeter than from
tin or glass. Another gourd raised for
the market is a very small shaped
one which is used by housewives as a
darning egg. There are large round
gourds which sell rapidly and can be
easily converted into salt, coffee. and
bins for other purposes. These large
gourds are frequently used as peck
measures in the rural districts.
An Ostrich Farm
The ostrich cannot come under the
classification of good eating, but there
are a number of successful farms where
these birds of beautiful plumage are
raised, and the women are more inter-
ested in fine plumes than something for
satisfying the appetite. While our wo-
men folk can forego terrapin and cham
pagne, there would be forty million
connption fits thrown if the men folk
baked on contributing thousands an
nually for the support of these plume
producing farms. The flesh of an os-
trich is about as palatable as a brass
firedog and about as juicy, and as a
toothsome bird he is a rank failure,
but as dig down produce the-coin
plume producer he is the star perform
er in all birddom.
Breeding Skunks for Profit
a few years ago the man who boldly
announced that he was going to start
skunk farm in Minnesota was laughed
at and derided, but when he proved
that he was making a CARLOAD of
money out of his odorous venture 9TH
ers followed in his footsteps, and now
there are a number of skunk farms IN
different sections of the country. AT
first publication of the facts about the
skunk farm the agricultural depart
ment was flooded with letters asking