Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-07-31
From the Rutland Herald. of July Ii.
Trout,

vantage over most nsh, by being either
small enough to fry or broil, or large
enough to boil. Its meat ranges in color
from that of the most pinky-meated sal
mon to the mallow-color; while its out
side appearance is different according to
the waters which it inhabits but it never
loses those carmine spots, surrounded by
a halo of azure The fisherman holds
the trout in great admiration for his sa-
gacity and intelligence. The trout loves
the sparkling streams; displays an ardent
ambition to explore streams to their
source; is quick, vigorous and elegant in
its movements.
Not long since, circumstances beyond
our control" compelled us to remain some
four hours in Bellows Falls, and we i'm
proved the time by visiting the fish-breed-
ing ponds of j. d. Bridgman, Esq, situat-
that place.
Mr.. Bridgman, in common with numer-
Gus other gentlemen of our State, has
turned his attention to the propagation
of trout, and will shortly be able to fur
nish them for the purpose of stocking
ponds and small streams of water.
Mr. Bridgman's ponds are peculiarly
adapted to the purposes of fish. breeding
as they are all-some eight or ten in num-
ber-fed from springs, the temperature of
the water being about 450. Spring water
from 40o to 45o has thus far proved the
best for the business in this country. A
spring is preferable to brook, since the
latter is liable to sudden rises, which
might sweep away the ova, and has not
so even temperature. All these ponds
are connected by sluices, covered with
screens, thus separating the different sizes,
but keeping an even flow of water.
About fourteen months ago Mr.. b.
commenced with about one thousand
spawning trout. At the time we were
there this number had increased to 5000.
These are his stock trout, from which he
derives, principally, his spawn, and is his
stock in trade" so to speak. These
sleek trout inhabit pond some twenty
FIVE feet in diameter, and vary in length
| from eight to fourteen inches. The next
pond of interest is filled with 1000 two
year olds-from six to eight inches long
and in the adjoining pond there is 5000
yearlings four to six inches in
length. The remaining ponds are de.
voted to the "small fry, 80, 900 in all
some four weeks old, and none of them
over an inch in length
A short sketch of the means used in
trout-raising may not be out of place.
The natural way Of spawning is as fol-
lows: The trout generally mates in July
| or August, and with one chiefly of its
own size, and feed and remain together
until spawning time, which is October or
| November for this latitude. As the
spawning season approaches, the trout in
pairs run up the brooks to seek out the
most retired water flowing over gravely
bottoms. In this gravel the females dig
trenches, and swimming rapidly round
and round, the male fish following her,
and, as she elects the ova into the trench
es, he discharges the milt which impreg-
mates the ova; after this process the fe-
males covers up the trenches, and stands
sentry over them.
The following is the artificial way as
adopted by Mr.. Bridgman He has con.
structed raceway running into his pond
of stock trouts, which is partially filled
with gravel. When trout is ready te
spawn she glides swiftly up this raceway
followed by her mate, seeking a place tc
deposit her eggs. As they enter the race
way they are caught, and the ova of th'
female Immediately discharged into ;
suitable vessel by gentle pressure of th'
hands from the thorax downward. Th
milt of the male is discharged in the sam
manner and the contents of the vesse
gently stirred with the hand, sufficient,
to thoroughly impregnate the ova witt
the milt. The ova is then taken to tn
Matching house, laid in shallow pans
! partly filled with gravel, and set in tn
Matching troughs. A gentle stream o
water, which comes filtered through fan
: mel and .gravel, is kept constantly run
ming over these pans. All that now re
a mains to be done is to keep strict watch
, and pick out the dead ova. In from A
to so days, according to the temperature
! these eggs hatch. The young fish ar
| not fed for the first 40 days after hatcl
;. ing, but after that are fed regularly.
Last fall Mr.. B. laid down $4,000 egg
from which he realized the 10000 youn
} trout mentioned above. But he hs
o made an addition to his Matching hous
e and this fall intends to lay down SON
e 100000 eggs, and, with his increased e,
perience, thinks he will be able to hate