Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-07-18
Farm and Fzresade.


Why should not farmers and others raise
fish for market and for their domestic uses
as well as cattle, fowls or any other living
stockP For so staple and healthy an arti-
Gle of food, it seems as absurd to be depen-
dent upon chance capture in wild state as
it would be to rely for our poultry upon
the fortune of the hunter or for our veget-
able supply upon the finding Of suitable
esculents in localities in which knowl-
edge of botany may tell us they ought to
grow. The efforts of the fish commission
ers in this and other parts of the country
in stocking the waters with the spawn of
valuable species of fish, will undoubtedly
largely increase the numbers of the finny
denizens of our rivers and streams; but the
labor of securing an abundant and readily
obtainable supply is thus only begun, and
it seems to us that il may be continued by
every dweller in the rural districts having
the simple facilities requisite for the con-
struction and maintenance of suitable fish
receptacles.
Artificial incubation and the stocking of
private ponds are of course no novel idea.
Aiiotoiy tCiio uo vi tuC 81 IA ptIutu
for such purposes dnring the decline of the
Roman empire; and pisciculture, especial
ly in the monasteries, seems to have -four
ished through the middle ages. The sue
cess which has attended all modern efforts
in similar direction, even in the propaga-
ton Of the trout and other delicate species,
leaves little doubt but that, at a very mod
crate outlay of time and money, every fra
mer could provide himself with well
stocked pond which he would find con-
slant source of valuable remuneration.
DR.. j. II. Slack, the New Jersey Commits
sioner of Fisheries, writes to the Tribune
letter containing many useful hints relat-
ing 10 this subject. Referring to the prep
aration of the ponds, he says that two
points must not be overlooked: proper pro-
portions of the banks and freedom from
surface water. For the former, with ordi-
nary loan, the following proportions will be
found correct: Let the base of the tank
equal three times its hight, and let the
width of the top equal the hight. Thus, if
the tank be 10 feet high the base should be
80 feet and the width at the top 10 feet.
The sluces and overflow should be made
of stone laid in cement. Wood, it is stated,
will rot very rapidly and prove of no val
ne. The services of a competent engineer
may be employed to advantage, and the
money expended for such supervision will
save much trouble and vexation.
Surface water is a fertile source of trou-
BILE, as it carries with it brush and leaves,
which clog the screens, allowing the con-
tents TO overflow and permitting the escape
of the fishes. In most cases, a series of
bitches, entirely surrounding the ponds,
will carry off the surface water, gate be-
ing placed at the head of the ponds with
an opening only allowing as much water
to enter as can be readily conducted away.
At the sluice gates, screens of wire cause
must be placed to prevent the egress of the
fish. These should be made of galvanized
wire if of large mesh, and of copper If fine.
A screen of coarser mesh, placed few in
C hes up stream from the fish screen, will
arrest much of the floating Trash and pre-
ent clogging. This second screen, called
the leaf screen, should be placed at an an
gle of about 600 that greater surface may
be exposed 10 the water.
AS regards stocking the tanks, it can
hardly be expected that every farmer can
enter into the careful operations of trout
culture, but there are plenty of other vari-
cites of fish suitable for food which may be
easily and profitably reared. The ordina-
ny cat fish (pimeloduS) will thrive and
breed in almost stagnant water, and is har-
dy and enduring. The female takes care
of her young, which for some weeks after
they are Matched, follow her about as chick
ems do a hen.
For large ponds, through which gentle
current can be made to flow, the best fish
for the South is the southern bass (grySteS
salmoideS). 1t has variety of names and
is known also as the yellow and black bass,
trout, club, and growler. The adult fish
is of greenish brown color with blush
black spot under the gill, the young hay
ing in place of the spot from two TO four
longitudinal bars; the back fin Is spinous
and high, and tail is similar to that of the
trout. Besides the above two varieties
mentioned as examples, there arc scores
equally valuable as food, some indigenous
to northern, others to southern waters
"N-~N ""N g'N'""iJ SuBScob lhciiociNtS ~
our readers interested in the subject.
The temperature of the water in the tank
is an important matter, as fishes respire moi
water, but air mingled with water. At the
temperature of 500, six cubic inches of air
are contained in each gallon of mrated wa.
ter, while at 2l2o none is present. With q
supply of 1000 gallons per minute at {
temperature OF 500, fish could be maintain
ed in tank of about 5000 cubic feet, sui
fcient for a small village.
If the pond be well supplied with aquat
ic insects and plants, the fishes will neet
no food but generally oyersiocking is thu
case and hence certain quantity is re
quired. Any kind of animal food, cooked
or uncooked, Is suitable; the entrails o
fowls, lights of beef, oxen and hogs,
thrown in in small pieces, will be eater
with ayldity. Curd or "smear kase'