Litchfield enquirer., 1849-06-21
From Me Amer;can Agricutturdlist.
 Domestic Fish Ponds.

Domestic Fish Ponds.
 We are surprised our country friends
 do not pay more attention to the subject
 of fish ponds. Many of them have, Gn some part of their estates, either natural
 ponds or small streams running through narrow valleys, which may be damned at tritiing expense, and occupy but a comparatively smrll surfrce of land, and
 which in many cases, is entirely worth
 less. These ponds should be fed with living streams or springs. The former are preferable, as they bring to the pond supplies of seeds, vegetables, roots, mud, &c., on which many of the fnny tribe subsist. Aquatic plants, insects of vari- ous kinds, and infusorie are also soon generated in the pond, and supply them with an adequate amount of food. Wherever this is deficient for the inmates artificial food may be aided, as bread, decayed grains, vegetables, meat and the like. They may soon be taughtto come at call, as by the tinkling of bell, the blast of horn, the beat of drum, or some musical instruments, and they will thus gather round their food as soon as thrown in. Many species of fish subsist entirely by suction, as the shad the suck CT, &c., ann it is policy to have separate ponds for such of these as are wanted for use. Others and by far the largest part, are predatory, and subsist almost entirely on other fish, as the pike, pick erel, &e., and these require stock of smaller fry to supply them adequately with food.
 Some experiments have been made with the shad and other salt water fish in acclinating them in fresh water, and with entire success. A friend, who has several fish ponds on his estate on the Hudson, says they have bred with him the second year they were placed there He occasionally supplied them with salt, when they would come about the depos- 1t, and seem to enjoy the brackish water while the salt remained. When deprived of this some of the original shad died; but whether owing to this or to some other cause, it is not certain. The youn- ger ones seemed to thrive in water en- tirely flesh. He has also domesticated several kinds of fresh water fish, some of which have beed imported from the European waters, as the carp, and tho tench, but most of them are the best va rieties from our inland lakes. Some of them have become such pets, and so ia miliarly answer to his call, that he has a great repugnance in preparing them for his table, though his friends, to whom he scrupless,, and Idf'dS 'pdFSohtdfRee ,heHf yRa such He tells good story of harnessing nine:foot sturgeon, transferred from the river to Ais domains. He has properly adjusted straps, SO fitted as not to inter- fere with his fins, to which ring and trace is attached with light cork buoy, so as always to be within reach. When disposed for sail, he gets into his canoe. and quietly affixes tow-line to the buoy and as soon as the sturgeon feels jerk, of he darts with railway speed, and wbirls him round and round the pond till exhaus- ted, when he rolls over on his back and halts. He is then disengaged from the canoe, and after recovering from his sweat, bounds into the air six or eight feet, and off he darts for the quiet depths of the pond. Some honest Dutchmen, in his neighborhood, thinking it too good fun to be monopolized, tried the experiment with an untamed sturgeon in the Hudson hen after short time, he plunged down wards, drawing under the boat, men and all, who came near being drowned. They cursed their neighbor and his craft, and have never beeA known to attempt the ex- pertinent since.