The Elbert County tribune., 1914-09-04

readily at 90 cents pound. That is nearly all
clear profit the only expense to be figured being
the cost OF the spawn and the work required In
bedding and picking them. They keep sproutny
up for many weeks after the first catherine and
1t is necessary only to go over the ground again
to get fresh supply. One mulching will run
out In about three months. Figuring in the time
required for the mushrooms to begin producing
after the beds are planted. three crops year
practicable.
One square foot of ground sometimes pro-
duces two pounds OF mushrooms from one crop
though this is above the average / should say
that from pound to pound and half is the
yield that can be counted upon. have not used
all the available space in the cave suitable to
mushrooms. because have other interests thar
require my attention for a considerable mart NJ
the year, but my experience in raising musb.
rooms has shown that. with comparatively little
labor. can clear 800 month from mushrooms
alone. | have done that and could make pood
deal more at it. If devoted my attention er
clusively to mushrooms.
This cave Is natural storage house for such
fruits and vegetables require an even tam
perature high enough to keep them from freez.
Ing and degree OF moisture that will not cause
sproutng- Sweet potatoes the most profit
able for storage. Many farmers hereabouts raise
large crops of sweet potatoes. and for 20 miles
around they bring their product for storage IN
this cave get Is cents a bushe for their stor.
age over winter, SO you figure out how profit
able that branch of my cave industry is"
The farmers realize large extra proft nm
their sweet potatoes thus held in storage upt,I
early spring. when they can supply the tubers
to market that is not glutted Mr. Smith sava
that at times sweet potatoes have been kent in
the cave two years and at the end OF that period
have been found to be in fine condition
The frog item in cave farming is n considerable
one, although it is limited, to the frog season
Bull frogs have a natural habit OF hibernat,n,
ike bears, and no amount OF coaxing or coach
ING. on the part of Farmer Smith, has induced
them to keep themselves "fn season" the yo,r
round.
Just outside the is the special fros IaLe
where the hoarse-voiced believers are fenced in
with wire netting to keep them from migrating
when they emerge from the cave for an outing.
Back in the cave when the frogs come ont q,
their winter refugees, they seem to take nrch
delight In sitting upon the stumps OF staaemites
croaking so loudly that the cavern echoes oach
croak into chorus. The river Is alwavs neor
at hand for them to leap into for a froIic
The chief advantage of having the cave ,or
frog cultivation lies in the fact that the dartr.ss
makes frog hunting profitable In daytime as =,
is outside at night The frogs are caught nv
binding them with a sudden light thrown IN
thelr faces mis- startles them so that they arc
ooth mute ana motionless and they are scooped
into net and carried out to be killed Tbei,
Saddles" otherwise their long and lpsc,o,s hind
legs, are cut off and shipped to market Frogs
legs bring from $150 to So a dozen in tho mo
kets. ~
1t requires two years for a tadpoe to GROW ,n,,
marketable bullfrog. The Fishers cave fros,s
are noted for their unusual size They spend
large part Of their time in the cave where tbe1
are protected from the premature doom tb,,
overtakes many frogs before they have attainaf
the proper size.