Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-22
TRoUT-FARMING.

Trouting and farming are generally sup
posed by steady-going, industrious people
to be incompatible with one another. To
such, the compound word at the head Of
this article will read strangely. Neverthe-
less, il stands for an industry which, though
OF but recent history, has already made
considerable progress, and bids fair, when
better understood and more generally en-
gagged in, to play an important part in pro-
viding a valuable portion Of the worlds
food supply.
Wherever there is trout stream this
business can readily be introduced. Ponds
can easily be formed, Matching and feeding
places made, and not only a supply Of fish
secured for family use-itself no mean item
in home comfort-but u surplus raised for
the market. 1t is thought by those compe.
tent TO Judge that if a farmer wishes to
raise trout only on small scale it will pay
him better to purchase the young fry
These cost $40 thousand. The processes
Of Matching eggs and rearing the young fish
are somewhat delicate, but not more SO than
those OF cheese-making and other operations
on the farm. With pair or tive Of ma
ture trout and few inexpensive facilities
for the business, any person OF ordinary
intelligence and perseverance can succeed.
The United States agricultural report for
1872 states that some eight years ago Mr..
Green's was the only establishment Of this
kind 10 the United States Now there are
about dozen widely-known fish farms, and
some hundreds Of smaller ones which have
attained only local reputation. OF these
Pennsylvania has the most in number,
though not the largest. Massachusetts, is
probably next, while New York boasts the
largest and most complete. The Western
states have gone into trout culture with
great energy. Funds for this purpose are
now to be found in Ohio Wisconsin, Michi-
gan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Minnesota, aud California. 1t would seem
that the business must be found successful
and profitable from the manner in which il
is extending. Seth green says of it, "Tht
business has paid US, and paid us better
than any land farming We ever heard Of in
this section of the country and if it has
paid US, there is no law in this land forbid
ding one man to do as well as another"
To show what can be done on a very
small scale, Mr. Green relates the following
incident II once met an old farmer VIII
was taking trout to the village hotel TO
SALE The fish weighed plump four pounds
aud was beauty. learned that he wa
in the habit of bringing such fish occasion
ally, and, on questioning him, found that h,
had little spring stream of water running
through his land, and that, in its course, h'
had dug out deep hole-simply hole il
the ground, without screens or apparatus o
any kind. The larger trout from tn
stream collected in this hole, and he woul'
feed them with scraps from his table, refus
meat from his butchering, &c With thu
outlay Of very little trouble, aud no cash
the old gentleman must have gathered
good many dollars per year from his hole
in-the. e.grouud-trout-p As hint o
what may be done in 6sh-raising, with smaI
means, his example is worthy Of considera
ton"
In conclusion, il must be borne in min
that an unfaiIing supply Of spring water
! indispensable TO success in trout-farminl
, 1t has happened before now that begin
ner IN fish culture has found his pond
, without water, his beautiful spring drie
up, and his young fry all dead. 1t is de-
: sirable, though not essential, to have sue
5 fall that the pond can be drained, and
Y should be so managed that rise in tn
stream will not overflow the pond. Wher
there are these facilities, aud they aboun
all over the country, trout. farming, it jud
: ciously undertaken, aud prperly attended tC
q can, without doubt, be pursued with success
Canada Farmer