The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-03
MAKE. FORTUNE IN
FARMING OF FROGS
!. sANSssAI. ACCOMMODATIONS HERE -
1Ey TIMES WHAT 1T Is
IN FRANCE.
SUPPLY NOT ENOUGH
MORE THAN MILLION CAUGHT
LAST YEAR AND SELL ron
FROM ToUR TO FIVE
DOLLARS A DOZEN.

Things have way OF coming true
If you will only walt long enough. DO
you remember Aesop's Fable about
the envious frog and the oVergrovn
OK DO you recall the unt!mcly end
az the frog when she struggled to
initiate herself go that she might out
rival the huge bovine@ Well, 1t has
been said that the bureau Of fisheries
r. bent upon helping that aspiring
hatrachian's descendants 10 make
rood in numbers what they lack in
bulk, and thus help cut down the
cost OF living for us.
There wac a time when prejudice
prevailed against frogs as food That
feeling dates hack 10 the DAYS OF
witches when the frog played part
IN their uncanny calling and WAS
used for casting spells in love affairs.
Just the same, the Romans APP
preciated the deleacy 81 the bull
frogs white meat and quiet likely
thew introduced the habit Of eating
them into Western Europe. France
was the first to prom by the example
and Germany and England followed
Perhaps you don't know H. hut the
annual consumption NJ frogs in the
United States il ten times what Is 1t in
France and the demand far exceeds
the supply.
alEUI mere IN view vi ffSbatN anna e
frogs are captured rhau IN any other
section Of the country, but because Of
their n oderate size they are.less profit
able than those taken in California
ard Missouri. The annual catch in
the United States reaches q total OF
quite a million frogs and the gross
value to the hunters that sesk them
IN thu open marshes s not less than
$4,000 The consumer pays three
times this arponxt II besst. This pur-
suit OF edible batrachbans threatens
their extinction Nld out In Illinois q
bill providing for cao sed season from
November eu June has been favorably
reported, So that ne wild frogs may
"a wooing go" atrd have reasonable
chance TO get their families started
upon life's journey.
Frogs legs are commonly a luxury
and II is TO pun hsIn within reach Of
those OF us with small purses that the
government brs started the propa-
eating OF frogs II Gre Edcnton Hatch
cry in North CRolta.
The, frogs commonly eaten here arr
Of four species, the bulirog. che greer
frog. rhe sI~xE frog and the Westerf
bullfroG. a1A Ghe problem with tbs
farmer liars been 10 secure a breed
which would Yield the most profitable
market yrudtN-A This has led to cross
hyeeding-th Initial success probably
being that Of a California pioneer IL
this work. The far Western frog f.
naturally small but exceedingly de
sicious, fsut he r&ees just as long t.
reach a sEhksble size AS HIS bigge
Eastern br~urhers. According tn
farmer In question introduced from
Maryland and Florfdn some of TIN
larger sorts This example has bee
followed elsewhere In the countr
= among frog farmers.
II you have tried chicken farming
truck farming on a small scale o
any other agrtclk ural line In II semi
professional mood without gratifying
financial results there is no need {,
despair until you have given the frol
chance. Keep in mind how mucl
more prolific tho frog Is than the hen
and don't forget that the frog Cal
take much better care Of himself thai
the average chicken. In fact the frol
looks aftef his own wants SO well tina
your principal concern viii be that O
restraining him and in keeping hin
within the bounds set for his physica
activities. He is decidedly q waudere
and won't come homo to roost.
Don't expect returns upon your ven
ture until after three years. The fro
takes four seasons before reaChin
marketable maturity, but then he
worth all that you ask for him Frog
bring as high az - or SIS a dozen alive
and q corresponiingly higher pric
when the legs and body are dressed
Frogs are eaten MT tsll times. but the
are uuUestionably best in the IA
and winter, when they bring the big
gest prices
The BUSINESS of frog farming ha
been steadily growing Of recent years