Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-11-27
DIRECTIONS FOR RAISING TROUT
Receiving the Fish,

Receiving the Fish.
Give the young trout fresh supply OF
brook or soft spring water, as soon as they
arrive. If any of them appear to be suffer-
ing from their journey, aGrate the water at
once, by taking some out in a dipper, and
pouring it back from a height Of one or two
feet. Never use well water, or water i'm
pregnated with any mineral substance, as
both are often fatal to fish.
The Stream.
Ifthe trout are intended to replenish the
whole length Of brook, all that is neces-
sary is to put them into brook and let
them be. If you wish to stock only part
Of it, you must place a screen of fine copper
wire netting at the upper and lower bounda-
res of the portion of the brook which you
wish to replenish. If the stream is subject
to freshets, you must lead of a side channel
from the main brook, in such way that
only the desired volume OF water can pass
over the fish when the brook rises. n brook
that is liable to dry up in the summer, or
pond fed by such brook, is of course
worthless for trout. The outlet Of pond
fed by springs, which neither rises nor falls
much during the year, is the best stream for
them.
The size of artificial ponds should be
graduated according to the amount Of water
which feeds them. As general rule, small
ponds built in an oblong shape, will be
found most satisfactory. Experience has
proved that small ponds, built long and mar
row,-say one rod in width to four rods in
length,-are the most satisfactory. Regu-
lar breeding ponds should always be built
on this plan. With merely ornamental
ponds, however, this is not Of enough import
ance to overrule considerations Of architect
ural beauty. The netting which is used to
cou6ne the fish should be of copper, and
should have at least twenty-five threads to
the inch, when the fish are first put in. As
they increase in size, netting Of a corre-
spondingly larger mesh may be substituted.
The netting must always be carefully watch
ed and kept clean to prevent its clogging up,
and allowing the water and fish to run over
the top.
The Rearing box.
All who can afford the trouble of regu-
larly feeding the young fish are recon-
mended to use the rearing box,-which is a
box so contrived as to obyiate all the known
dangers to which young trout are exposed.
1t is important that this box should be prop
erly placed in position before the arrival of
the fish. To do this put layer Of about
one inch of gravel upon the bottom of the
box, and sand enough at the lower end next
to the screen to fill up all crevices about the
screen,-for young trout will slip through
almost any crevice that snow can silt
through. Then place the box so that con-
slant stream OF water will fall into the spout
at the upper end, from little height above.
1t is essential that the water should fall in-
to the spout from above, and not merely flow
in; otherwise the fish, when they grow
strong enough to shoot the current, would
escape. Ii you should not have fall enough
to let the water come IN from above, the
spout and upper end Of the box must be
taken out, and wire screen substituted, like
the one at the lower end Run as large
stream over the young trout as you can,
without carrying them too iorcibly against
the screen. Take such precautions in turn
ing the stream on to the box that there can
be no possibility Of the supply ever failing
by leakage, drought or otherwise This hav-
ferred into their new quarters and fed.
Feed.
The best feed for young trout Of all ages
is raw liver. Boef's liver, sleeps or lambs
ver,-hog's liver they do not like,-will all
do about equally we'll. Before feeding the
young trout, the liver should be reduced to
the finest possible PARTICLES; and the best
way to do this is to scrape the raw liver
from the membrane with knife then put
it on shingle or smooth piece Of board and
chop it as tine as possible with razor. Any
other way that may be found more conven-
lent can be adopted; but the method sug-
gested best economies the liver, as it can be
fed to them in this way with the least waste.
Another way is to boil the liver hard and
pound it up very fine. This is an easier
method. After the liver is prepared, feed
it to the fish through copper wire netting, Of
the same mesh as that at the lower end Of
the box. Never allow any pieces of meat,
or any food, in fact, too large for the trout
to eat to get into the box or if it should
by accident fall in, have it taken out at
once, otherwise it will foul the water and
make the trout unhealthy. Feed them slow
ly and give them enough. You will not
over feed them. The more they cat, the
faster they will grow.
After a while, with the best Of care a
certain amount Of refuse matter, more or
less foul, will collect in the corners which
form the oddies in the box THIS should
be carefully removed when it collects and
tho spot covered over with thin layer Of
clean gravel. A great deal depends on the
trout having a clean, wholesome place to
live in. This is quite as important to them
as it is to US to have clean wholesome
house to live in.
When liver cannot be had, tho best sub
stitutes are the yolk of eggs,-the whites
are worthess-boiled half an hour and pull
verified, sour milk curd, meal, and any kiud
of fresh meat raw or cooked, which can be
reduced to the requisite degree of 6neness.
1t would be good plan to have a closed
box Of fine wire netting, which could be
partly filled with the prepared food, and