Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-08-13
Miseellnau.
From the New Haven Palladium.
Trout Breeding.
Correspondency of the New Haven Palladium.
BELLOWS FALLS, VT, July 81.


BELLOWS FALLS, VT, July 81.
EDITOR PALLADIUM:--New Haven
has its disciple of pisciculture in the per-
son of Mr. Malley, and the only wonder
is that his example has not been followed
by many others in his neighborhood.
Certainly the success of Mr.. Bridgman,
of Bellows Falls, in trout breeding and
trout Matching has made many imitators
in this region. Ona little piece of ground
less than two acres in extent, Mr.. b. can
show several small ponds fed by over
thirty springs of clear, cold water, con-
tanning more than forty thousand trout
The fish vary in age from six months to
three years. Care is taken to keep those
of the same age and size in the same en-.
closures, as otherwise the fish of larger
growth would make sad havoc of their
interiors in magnitude. The health Of
the fish requires that the water in the
ponds should be changed once in twenty
four hours, and that all hurtful vegeta-
BILE matter should be carefully removed.
The trout are fed Con beef liver ground
fne,) twice a day. This feeding is not
attended with very great expense. An
outlay of one dollar per week sufices to
keep the fish in excellent condition An
intelligent lad of fifteen, under the su-
perintendence of Mr.. Bridgman, does
ample justice to these fnny preserves.
Beyond the details which I have men,
toned no care is requisite except such
watchful attention as shall prevent the
raids of otters, musk rats, frogs and 9TH
er enemies of fish.
Now, as trout under favorable condi-
tions reach the weight of at least one
pound in three years from Matching, and
as they readily command in the market
a dollar per pound, it is not difficult to
discover how profitable this business Of
trout raising can be made. There is also
a constant demand for trout of moderate
size for stocking ponds and streams. This
morning Mr.. Bridgman sold three hun.
dred fish, varying in weight from one OF
two ounces to half a pound. These &C
to stock pond in Springfield, Vermont
They are transported by wagon, in large
cans of water kept cool by ice. Trout
of this size consume oxygen very rapidly
and would soon die, if care were not ia
ken to change the water at short inter
walls. Where this is inconveniont or i'm
possible, the same effect is produced by
means of pump in each can or barrel
The water being pumped up, falls through
the air into the trout tub, and is thus OK
ygenized once more. The abundance O
fish in these ponds was demonstrated b,
the fact that over three hundred fish wer,
taken in two casts of the net. Whel
one thinks of the number of possible
trout suppers represented in these hauls
occupying not more than three minutes
no words are adequate to describe tn
scene. The thoughtful proprietor, OBJ
serving no doubt, with what unspokel
agony one bystander beheld the especkle'
beauties poured by the pailful into th
unconscious tub or stolid can, kindly in
vited him to throw his fly into the wei
stocked pond. Never was invitatio,
more promptly accepted. To be sure,
was, as somebody observed, Every mucl
like asking sportsman to shoot fowls i
a barnyard," but then, there were tn
trout, and in the certain future was tn
prospect of such a supper as the mos
experienced angler might relish, askin
no questions for hunger's sake. The di
was cast, and SO was the fly. To cate
such bountiful mess as many a skillfl
disciple of Isaac Walton would brin
home in triumph after days toilsom
tramp through brambles, among fierc
mosquitoes, and over sharp pointed rock
was only the work of a few busy, excite
minutes. If the consciousness of havin
made two or three of his fellow being
particularly happy by affording to OF
the pleasures of successful and easy an
ling, and to others the satisfaction of
trout supper, enjoyed with the keen re
ish of eager appetites, is reward wort
the having, then must the generous an
genial Bridgman be most enviable ma
for this day at least.
Professor Agassiz has told us tht
fishes contain in large quantities Il
phosphorus which, as an element of foo
is so essential to the proper working CO
dition of the human brain. If this
true-and who shall venture to dispu
such high authority ?-every project f
increasing the supply and diminishil
the price of SO universal favorite as Il
trout, cannot fail to deserve seriousco
sideration.-Commencing then, literal
ab aro, let me briefly explain the proct
of the artificial Matching of trout, takil
as my text the experience of Mr.. Bird
man. a-
The breeding trout, j. e.. male and
male front in about equal proportions,