Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-02-11

were taken with the hands at pleasure,
and seines caught them without difficulty.
With small net the fishermen would take
a half bushel at draught. and repeat
their labOrs with the same success. Carts
We're loaded with them in rs short time
as people could gather them up when
thrown upon the banks, and it was custom
AIRY to sell them in the fishing season for Il
shilling a bushel. While they thus increas-
ed in numbers they also became more than
double their former size. This great in
crease of fishes is supposed to have been
occasioned by the increased means of
subsistence, in consequence of carrying the
water over 4 large tract of rich and uncul-
tivated land
! The flavor of the fish caught in the reser-
voir at Weston is not near so delicious as
in the stream prior to its erection, yet
notice that it far exceeds the flavor of our
domesti"ated and liver fed fishes sold in
our markets. | think that there is many
small S ream in this State. now but sparse
! ly inhabited by trout. bordered by wild,
boggy lands, which, being protected for a
| few years, would produce an annual
amount of food beyond the capabilities OF
the richest arabic land. Thus might New
England and the Middle States increase
their trout considerably and convert bar
rem wastes into wealth producing tracts.
II. c.. E.
| The foregoing extraordinary statements
emanate from sources so authentic us to
leave no doubt of their complete accuracy.
The fecunditv of fish under certain favor
able conditions borders on the marvellous.
The pisciculturist needs no greater en-
couragement than is afforded by the data
herewith given, or more positive assurances
Of the profits that may be derived from
his investment and pursuit. That the
character and quality of the food upon
which fish feed materially affects their
delicacy Of flavor, is exemplfied in no
species more strikingly than in the trout
andwhile by flooding swamps and marshes,
an immense supply of organic and insect
matter is provided, the flavor of the trout
becomes so impaired rs to he hardly recog-
nized by the epicure who has been wont
to draw his supplies from the cold and linn
pid mountain streams that dash over peb-
bly, bottoms. The water becomes impreg-
mated and discolored with the Juice OF roots
and decaved vegetable matter, and the
trout acquire Il flavor of the muddy depos
it that overleS the bottom of the pond or
reservoir Even their colors change radi-
cally-thev become dull and sodden, and
the trout in specklcd pride" degene-
rates into coarse and logy fish that affords
little amusement to the angler. and might
better be sold at "a shilling bushel >
than permitted to offend the high toned
perfection of 4 gentleman's table. Fisher
men who are only intent upon a heavy
basket alone, or who labor for pecuniary
gains, may throng the Vermont reservoirs
named in the letter appended. but
for those who seek a higher and more
ecstatic reward, we believe they would de-
rive greater satisfaction from capturing
one dozen of the shapely, 1.-THE. clean and
firm-meated trout of the dashing stream
than ton of the yielding, sodden and fac
cid fish that crowd each other on the mud
DIV bottoms where swarm the grovelling
orders of insect life Trout like these
when they rise to a fly break the surface
with bulge" like the eructation of al
over fed stomach; and if the hook flstens
they settle to the bottom slowly, like muC
turtle and wiggle languidly. Then if The
perception of pain excite their nervou:
system to make IN effort for relief. the,
scull themselves slowly around the ar,
which the tautened line subtends. and af
ter Il double or two and It dive. come heav
ly to the net, sliding in sideways OF
their ear Very different is the springy
active play of the front of the gushin:
fountain head -tontaaliS, truly. The eX
perienced angler knows that.-ForeSt an
Stream.