Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-07-26
The Caledonia Trout Pond.

Oue OF the gTeAleSL CuTlOSlIleS III
Western New York--we may almost
say one Of the greatest in the world
is the trout breeding establishment
Of Seth Green, in Caledonia, Livings-
ton County, to which we paid brief
visit last week. His house and ponds
are on the border of the stream call
ed the Caledonia Springs, which
flows in q vast volume of the purest
water from a small hollow in the
village of Caledonia, and after
course of mile unites in the vii
lage of Mumford with Allen
Creek, one of the tributaries of
the Genesee. The country through
which it fiows 10 uiriCkly settled, ana
one of the richest and best farming
towns in the State. The surface of
the land is quite level, with banks
but little above the surface of the
water. The stream, in places, is
very rapid, and in others has a gentle
current of 4 mile or more per hour.
The springs as now situated, cover
about six acres, being damned slight
ly for mining purposes. They afford
about eighty barrels of water per
second, and make q creek from three
to four rods wide, and from eighteen
inches to six feet deep, according TO
the current. The bottom is covered
with small white shells and gravel.
The water, is clear, pure, and per-
fectly transparent, SO that any object
can be seen for three or four rods
very distinctly. Its temperature at
the springs is fortY-elght degrees
the whole year round, but down the
creek, three quarters of a mile, it
rises in the hottest days in the sum-
mer to fifty eight degrees by night,
but it is down in the morning to fifty
two degrees. In winter it settles at
times to forty three degrees, but gen.
orally keeps up TO forty-five or forty
six degrees. The temperature of the
water at Aliens Creek is very even
the year round, but very cold in sum-
mer, and quite warm in the winter,
never freezing in the coolest weather.
The water through the whole length
of the creek, as well as every stone,
stick, weed and blade of grass, is
alive, and literally covered with nu-
merous insects and larve of flies,
summer and winter, so that the trout,
however numerous they are, easily
obtain all the food they want at all
times of the year. There is bat very
little surface water that makes into
the creek, hence the volume ofwater
is very even. The first settlers of
the country found the creek literally
filed with trout Of great size and
beauty, and it has remained so to
this day, notwitnstandingit has been
almost constantly fished, night as
well as day, from that time to this.
The largest and finest trout are taken
in the evening with large artificial
white or gray miller.
| The number of trout in this stream
Of q mile in length, is computed 1t
upwards of 100000, the largest of
which are each four or FIVE pounds
lin weight. About 1000 pounds Of
trout are taken from the creek yearly.
lMr. Ainsworth, of West Bloomfield,
Ito whose excellent article published
in the Tribune last winter we are in.
\ debted for these statics, says, that on
the 18th of December, 1865, he took
with the fly hundred and ten fine
trout in about three hours, and on the
next day took eighty-fye splendid
fellows from one place. These trout,
ihe says, we're as fat, active and gamey
a. he ever saw them in any other
stream in May or June. Seth Green,
the celebrated marksman and dy-
J thrower of this city, bought this creek
| in 1854, for the purpose of growing
trout artifcially as well as naturally,
on an extensive scale. He has since
prepared ponds, races, hatch house
and Matching boxes and troughs for
s, ,O00, 900 of spawn. I, The pond con-
tanning the largest fish and principal
lspawners was first constructed. A
strong volumne OF water passes
through it from the main stream, the
quantity received and discharged
being so regulated that there is nc
danger Of oYerfewing. 1t enters