The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1874-06-13
FISH Fa,.nssasy sn-Buttitnore County.
MIR. KaSrs TROUT PONDS IN GREEN SPRING VALLEY

.
The Maryland Academy OF Sciences visited the
fish breeding establishment of Mr.. Alexander
Kent, at Green Spring, in Green Spring Valley,
near the Resterstown road, on Saturday last -
What was there seen is thus described by the Bal
timors Gazette of Monday:
"The excursionists were placed in charge Of MIR.
Kent upon arrival, and first Green spring, from
which the clear, cold and rapid water for the
ponds is secured, was noticed. This spring is the
real head of Jones' Falls, and is on that account
of special Interest to Baltimoreans. The spring
rises within a comparatively narrow limit, but
the flow is about 300 gallons minute, afford
ing ample supply of the best water for fish rails
ing, the temperature being uniform and well
suited to the business. The fish ponds are stu
ated at a short distance from the spring, the
water is conducted through pipes, and thus reg
ulated in quantity.
1.-THE three ponds and races in which the pro
pretor has his fnny treasures were next visited
The ponds are boarded up and are about fifty
feet in length and nine feet wide and the water
is four feet deep. The races are narrower. The
flow of water is constant and the fish, brook trout
thrive splendidiy. The amateur scientists were
deeply interested in the fish soon as they had
an opportunity OF observing them. Ia the three
ponds Mr. KeAt has over $500 trout, most OF
which were caught with the hook ia the Back
water branch of the Cheat river, in the noun tans
of West Virginia. The fish are about three years
old and have reached good marketable size.
'sThe majority OF the visitors had never seen
trout ia the water, and watched their movements
with much pleasure and interest. The interes:
increased when the fish were fed with their ac-
customed food, hog liver cut up into small pieces.
The voraciy of the trout is well known to all
excellent
opportunity of observing them. The water SEEM
ed fairly alive with the hundreds OF darling,
jumping and diving fish, and so great was the
commolion of the water at times that ii was
thrown out in showers.
"The fish are fed daily, and have become so
tame that they quickly approach whenever the
TOD OF the water is stirred rapidly, and they have
so far overcome their natural fear OF man that
they will readily dart up and bite at The fingers
of any Que who disturbs the water la the lower
pond are a large number Of salmon trout, fish
of The finest favor Mr. Kent was formerly en-
gagged in Gsh furmlBg at Oakland, Ind, but has
abandon that locality, and commenced his cp-
erations at Green Spring in the spring of last
year. EARLY 10 October last the stock fish were
put ia the ponds, aud then the enterprise was on
a firm footing, comparatively speaking.
"The brook trout is most delicate fish, and
Mr.. Kent related to his guests he difficulties and
narQSDlpS ne ndu eucOuutertu III ocCuilhS tucu
by the hook first, then in transporting them by
wagons over new made mountain roads, and
finally by rail to Baltimore, and by wagon TO The
pond A trout will die in few minutes in still
water, and it was an absolute necessity to keep
the water in which they were in constant motion
day and night Mr.. Kent gave TO this part of
the labor his closest personal attention, and for
days and nights together was necessarily al work.
The large number of stock fish which he has Sc
cured is very valuable, and he can now increase
his stock as he may desire.
''The spawning of the fish in the autumn WAS
explained clearly by Mr.. Kent, and the manner
of securing the tens of thousands Of eggs was
shown The spawning is done in the races, and
the eggs are carefully secured by OF strain
ers In connection with the farm is the hatch
ing house, neat building 30 by 40 feet, and the
water is also brought by pipes from the Green
spring. The impregnated eggs are carefully
placed in the narrow troughs under a gradual
flow Of water at about 81 degrees OF temperature.
The eggs rest upon clean gravel, end all the bad
eggs are removed from time TO time. In the
course of from thirty to thrty-fve days the fry
or young fish make their appearance. During
the first six weeks of their lives they eat nothing
after that they require constant attention, the
critical age being that between six weeks and
three months, and they must be fed three times a
day. The fry, when hatched, have under them
a sac somewhat globular in shape, which does
not wholly disappear for about six weeks, and
during that period entrely furnishes them with
nuriment. After its disappearance they are fed
on finely chopped liver, which is passed through
close seive 10 separate the particles for the little
fish At be age of two or three months they are
transferred to nursery ponds, but not placed with
the Older and larger fish, by whom they would be
soon devoured Mr. Keat has now about 80, 900
of these tiny fish, and the are doing finely. As
soon as they of a size to take care of them
selves they will be put in the stock ponds, where,
regularly and carefully fed, they increase in size
very rapidly. 1t is Mr.. Kent's purpose to secure
during the next fall some 10 900 more stock fish,
and he anticipates having at the next Matching
l 800 900 small fry. The business is profitable
one under proper management At present Mr.
Kent is not selling for market, but sold this sea
son small lot, delivered al The popdI<e,,a Wash
ington restaurant keeper, for 81 u ponn;h Pro-
fessor Spencer +. Baird, Of The Smilhso,': AN Iu-
stlute, proposes to have Mr.. Kent hatch for the
Government some ], 500, 900 California salmon
eggs, the fish from which are to be introduced
into the James and Potomac rivers The visit
on Saturday was an unusually agreeable one,
and Mr.. Kent explained thoroughly his mode of
securing, raising and patching trout The sub.
ect of fish farming is doubtless destined to attract
much atention in Maryland"