Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-09-19
A FISH FARM.
An Interesting Breeding Establishment!
on the Banks Of the Thames.

Close on the banks Of the river
Thames, within stones throw of ebert
sew bridge, a iish-breeding establishment
which was started some few years age
by private gentleman, has year by
year been enlarged and improved upon
until it has now become one OF the most
complete establishments OF the kind III
the kingdom. The undertaking, being
a private one. has been little before the
public, Notwithstanding the fact that
the main object of the proprietor has
been to benefit the public generally by
improving the fish of the metropolitan
river. That is likely he has succeeded
in this respect may be surmsed from
the fact that within the last few years
some tens of thousands Of fish have
been Matched in the troughs at Chertsey
and turned into the Thames at various
places. Mr.. Forbes, the originator and
proprietor, has displayed great ingenu-
ity in the construction of his tsh-breed-
ing house. BY simple yet clever de-
vice the machinery for aerating the
water is worked by the water itself
This is accomplished by directing the
waste flow into receptacle somewhat
the shape of bellows. This fills and
empties itself every few minutes. the
action each time setting the machinery
IN motion, thus securing constant and
thorough aeration of the water. In
other matters of detail the same econmy
Of expense and labor have been care
fully studied, and though Mr. Forbes
has been ut great expense III building
his tish-housc, and in perfecting his
plans for regulating a proper supply OF
water, he has now succeeded IN being
able to carry ON his operations under
the most favorable conditions and at II
paratiyely tritling expense. The
water supply is derived from well,
from which some six thousand gallons
are daily pumped into a receptacle or
reservoir placed ut the top of the fish
house Flowing through the tanks day
and night, the water drains of into open
air tanks, situated in the garden (where
are deposited n number of full grown
fish of various descriptlons), and even
tualy emptcs into the Thames. At
present there is no Matching" going on.
The tanks are however, filled with II
descriptions Young salmon, apparent
" none the worse for their sojourn in
their temporary home, great lake trout,
common trout American trout, Loeb
Levcn trout, "a new and interesting
addition TO the tanks), and a number
Of salmon and trout from various con
tincntal waters are all to be seen III
various stages of growth IN splendid
condition. Mr.. Forbes and his wife
carefully look after the feeding of the
fish themselves, and are assisted by
Galloway, the only Thames fisherman
who has seen and assisted IN the capture
of salmon in the Thames many years
ago when that fish was Indigenous to
the river. In drawing attention to Mr.
Forbes tsh-hatchlng establishment it Is
only due to him to say that it is carried
ON at his own expense without any
pecuniary assistance. The thousand of
fish which are each year reared in his
tanks and turned into the river are II
free gift and with the commendable
view of bencttting Thames anglers
generally by securing II more abundant
stock of fish. This good work, it will be
it'oiitttCh, WAC lpliii'ii. ''il iN' VII ~
the Thames Angling Preservation Soci-
ETY., under the directions of Mr.. Frank
auckland and Mr. stephen Ponder.
For several years these gentlemen work
ed theoretically and successfully in
rearing n fine stock of fish at the sun
bury pond, (given 10y the Thames con
vservancy board to the society, and
turning thousands into the river. The
special fund which was collected form
crly each year 10y the Thames Angling
Preservation society for this object was
stopped some years ago since which
time the artificial stocking of the river
with salmon and trout has been left
almost altogether in the hands of
private gentleman, whose disintereSted
cXcrtions will be duly appreciated 10y all
Thames anglers. 1t is expected that
when the new Natural History Museum
is opened ut South kcnSington the
authorities will becnabled to give greater
facilities to Mr.. Frank Buckland for
carrying on his tish-breeding expert
ments. The Accommodations at present
at his command are extremely limited
and far below what they ought to be for
the Investigations necessary for the
study of the economical working of our
fisheries.