Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-08-18
For the Freeman.
Trout Breeding.

Trout breeding has long been carried
on by a few experts who have made
careful study of the fish and have learned
the mystery of artificial propagation.
They have been prompted by the love OF
the fish (the most beautiful and palatable
of all the finuy tribe). and also the ready
sale of the spawn and fry. A number oil
quite extensive establishments have start
ed up in the United States and Canada,
and some new methods and facilities for
handling the spawn and fish have had a
tendency te popuarize the art and make
il promise source of profit to farmers
favorably located for the business.
To the ordinary farmer, however, trout
farming is still largely in the field OF the
experimental. aud is not recognized rs it
should be as one of the practical indus
tries of the farm. All that is necessary to
give it place on the farm, like the raising
of poultry or bee keeping, is Il general
and thorough knowledge of the business.
Scores of farmers have started out in the
business with good degree of enthusiasm,
and have made a failure, simply because
they did not understand the first principles
of The work thew were undertaking. In
some cases their ponds were so located
| IldL Ile llISI lTtSIltJ butJ Csttbt t'htiht
away pond and fish together; or the pond
was so stability made that the water
would break out in night and leave the
fish on dry land; or while the water sup
ply was sufficient for ordinary times, AN
extreme drouth took it away or warmed
it to degree that destroyed the fish.
Unless person can start out secured
against the above named difficulties his
labor will be wasted. He must have a
supply of pure water that in the warmest
weather never rises above sixty hve
degrees, with tanks or ponds substantially
made, with outlet and inlet, secure from
boing disturbed by frost. Then above all
and before all. make a careful study Of
some good work on the subject.
With good supply of cool water ano
liberal feed,,it is wonderful what numbers
of trout can be crowded into II small tank
or pond and made to grow and thrive. II
was formerly supposed that exclusive AM
, nal food was necessary, but latterly 1t il
, found that corn bread or johnny cak'
: makes one of the best foods, inexpensive
f and always at hand.
The art of spawning artificially anc
growing the trout is not more dlfilcul
when well understood than the manage
ment of bees or poultry. 1t is estimated
g by those best able to judge that hardly
three per cent of the trout spawn deposited
naturally in our streams produce youn9
fish 1t is onlyin the smaller streams ant
, spring fed brooks that the water is of sufli
2 GENTLY even temperature to hatch the egg
} and of all the vast quantities of spawl
deposited in the larger streams and ponds
very little escapes destruction by the
, changes of temperature and its thousan'
5 tinny enemies. In artificial propagation
| with skillful handling ninety per cent o
+ the spawn will be transformed into young
fry.
5 If our streams, lakes and ponds are Il
abound in trout, in measure that Cal
withstand the drain that the modern fish
erman gives our public waters, it can only
be by artificial breeding and stocking
, This is matter in which alias affect
, ing their food supply, and the sportsman
as well-have common interest anC
should be encouraged or controlled by
government.