The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-22
Has Reached Large Proportion
In France
APPETITE is CARN,VEROUS
American Species of BuIlfrog Inferior
to French Species According to
Paris Gour1n Cost
of Plant for Breeding.
From the New York Tribute.


Paris says that France is generally
known TO be the country in which the
use of frogs for food first became gem
eral and has been most largely devel-
oped. The following account of the in
dustry is given by Mr.. Mason:
''Naturalists have identified and de-
scribed 1T species of frogs, some of
which are found native in every part of
the world save in New Zealand and the
southern portion of South America. There
are In France, besides the 'rainette,
tree frog, two edible species. the green
and the red. OF these, the green frog
(Rana esculenta) is by far the more i'm
portant as material for human food. The
so-called red frog (Rana temporarily is
of a reddish-brown color, notified with
green and brown spots. 1t Is found in
great numbers at certain seasons in
woods, pastures and meadows, especially
in damp locations, and near ponds and
water courses. 1t lives mainly on land
and takes to the water only on the ap-
proach of winter and during the spawn
ing season, which is somewhat later in
the spring than that of the green va
riety. Although eaten, especially In rural
districts and by people of limited means
in cities and towns, it is smaller in size,
and its flesh lis so inferor to that of the
green frog that it is not grown or fat
tened artificially in this country. The
large American 'bullfrog' CRana mugiens)
is unknown in France except as an I'M
ported product of the United States, and
although larger in size, the French gour-
NETS find it inferior in sacculence and
Flavor to their native species.
Enemy Of Piscicuiture.
The green frog exists abundantly
throughout France wherever there are
marshes. ponds, or sedgy margins of
rivers or bays that contain fresh or
slightly brackish water. Lit feeds on
worms, the larvae of aquatic insects,
small mollusks, flies, insects of various
species, and especially the spawn and
small fry of fish, which renders it an
enemy of pisciculture and exposes 1t to
the wrath of fishermen 1t is an outlaw,
for which the law provides no protec-
ton outside of privately owned waters.
The supply of frogs for the markets
of Paris comes mainly from the
marshes and stagnant waters In the
neighborhood of Montmorency, Vim
cennes, and Boulokne, but they are
brought also from the districts of the
Vendee and the Landes in southwest
ern France. and also from Lorraine.
Most of the frogs sold in Paris are
caught wild, but the demand is so
constant that during recent years some
effort has been made at various points
to propagate and fatten them by more
or less artificial means. s
The process is exceedingly simple.
The best outnt for frog raising is one
or more shallow ponds or reservoirs
hlled with grasses and other aquatic
plants, and so situated that the water
can be partially drawn off so as to
facilitate the labor of catching. Old
railways and other constructions are
sometimes used for this purpose. If,
as is frequently the case, the pond al
ready abounds in frogs they are simp-
~ protected and left year or two to
propagate. If food does not prove
abundant, the owner throws in living
earthWoIms for the frog is a carniver-
Gus animal, and prefers his food
whether worms. larvae or insects, fresh,
and in normal, living condition.
Frogs are brought to the Paris mar
ket both living and dead and are sold
at the great 'Halles, central mar
ket to retail dealers and to consum-
ers. The flesh of those killed and
dressed where they are caught is
whittier and more valuable than those
brought in alive and killed after a
period Of confinement under more or
less abnormal conditions. This has
the effect of giving the flesh a pinklsh
nue., Nnlcn reduces us value, 80 lndt
dealers try to counteract the dark tint
by soaking in milk or by some other
process, which is secret OF the trade, 4
and not easily ascertained.
ca,ei+i,. =. coIa
FROGS are sensitive 10 coIo' and when
alive must be transported and Kept Sc
cure from frost in winter. When they
are to be brought to market dead they
are usually killed at the place of origin,
the hind legs and part of thu backbone
cut off, skinned and strung by dozens on
a. wooden stick or skewer. and the bunch
TINS nrenarnd bacomes a commercial
,n;t ara can he +ronsrortad Jan+ a.,
saf.,aerato,.s ana sold ill., erast, 49, ~
esb rhese lunches or sticks, are re-
80 a. a. - ,,,a.,,o. - -
'rlieu -. ~ 4 -
"hicn vary Aoooi inns ~ seaSoh' STATE ol
supply anu es 1"se tne SIC 30 anu con-
uit4oh Vi nv ~ ~ " ." 9en1s d
STICK or dozen LOT small TO oo cents or
GO cents SUCK Tor large and well rat
tened ones When subsequently sold at
retail provision stores a profit of about
30 per cent is added to the above open
market prices.
Among the advantages of frog farm
ing is the fact that II enables persons
of limited means to utilize marshes and
ponds which are too shallow and warm
for fish culture and practically useless