Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-03-06
j. d. Bridgman's Trout Ponds.

Ntuilnouuttu iast idii tiut Nif. pIiuS-
man had obtained thousands Of eggs or
ova from the trout in his ponds, and now
have the pleasure of announcing that he
has thousands Of young trout. This ex-
pertinent, therefore, has thus far proved a
fine success, and during the spring and
coming season he will not only have
thousands of these young and growing
fish, but they will constitute a most inter
esting attraction in this place.
A few days since We paid visit 10 his
ponds and Matching house, where we be-
held an interesting sight and curiosity in
animal or fish economy, such ache as few
have ever seen. He has them in all stages
of existence, and showed them from the
egg to the beautiful trout (put into the
ponds last summer) weighing two pounds.
We were there in the afternoon, and were
first shown an egg, then trout Matched
out that morning, another few days old,
and still another of a week old, and so
on up TO four weeks. All these have the
umbilical sack upon which they depend
for the first forty days of their existence.
These little fish are SO transparent that
with the aid of a microscope the arteries
and beating of the heart is perceptible,
and herein lies the most curious and in
teresting sight in his Matching house.
Last fall Mr.. Bridgman obtained a few
salmon eggs and these have Matched also,
and though an accident destroyed part
of them he has few left, and even in
this early stage they exhibit a distinguish
ing difference in their appearance from
the trout, being mainly peculiar red
ness around their bodies, or wearing red
flannel as we called it. OF the trout eggs
there are still left nearly half of those
obtained last fall, so that as the season
advances and becomes more favorable,
thousands more of the little fish will be
Matched, thus greatly adding to his pres
ent stock.
The season for Matching fish, as We UNI
derstand it, has been unfavorable, owing
to the long continued cold term and ex-
tensive freezing, as consequence of
which others engaged in similar expert
ments, on smaller scale, have failed.
Mr.. Bridgman's- success, however is no
doubt owing to the thorough care and en-
ergy which he has bestowed upon all his
efforts. In prosecuting his experiment,
he has not only relied ON all the inform
alton he could gather from other persons
and books, but has used many nipple
ments of his own invention, among which
are zinc trays in which the eggs are
placed for Matching in the long boxes,
and hook or coil spoon with which he
lifts the eggs or young fish from one place
to another.
His ponds have already obtained a
very wide reputation and have been pro-
nounced by the Fish Commissioners Of
Vermont to be the most successful !"
they have seen, and they say further that
g if any one intends to commence the
business of trout raising, he would do
we'll to 90 and visit Mr.. Bridgman's ponds
and obtain counsel from him before MAX
ing any move in the matter; !" and even
as far off as New jersey, Colorado, and
other places he has received applications
for eggs to stock artificial ponds, besides
receiving visitors from abroad almost
daily.
This experiment, therefore, is no lon
ger an uncertainty, as he is now meeting
with the well deserved reward for his pa
tience and perseverance, and nothing but
some most untoward OF unexpected acct
dent can now prevent him from gaining
the greatest success, in fish culture, ever
accomplished in this country.