The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-10-05
The Father Of Fish Culture.
SETH GREENS IDEAS ABOUT THE FINNY
TRIBE AND SOME or MS VARIED
EXPERIENCES.
(7NrE, .Eyeld md Enrm

S,hNc W"o iU SC tuOuBu W Deuu "a
pin"
The above remark was addressed to
MIR. Seth Green, the veteran fish cul-
turist, who is known to the entire
world, and his reply indicates the On
tent of his labors.
"When was young" he continued,
81 would lie on the limbs of trees that
reached over. the water entire after
moons watching the movements of the
fish and studying their habits In this
way l discovered many characteristics
which were before unknown. | saw,
as every observer must see, the de-
structive elements that are warning
against fish, and realized that unless
something were done, the life in the
streams of this country would become
extinct. To counteraet this disastrous
end became my life work, and | am
happy to say have seen its accom-
plishment."
"Were you successful on the start ?'
"No, indeed. Up to that time all
artificial attempts to hatch and raise
fish from the spawn had failed, and |
was compelled to experiment in an
entirely new manner The work was
a careful one, but finally succeeded,
and to-day am able to hatch and
raise fully seventy-fve per cent of all
spawn
Enormous Why, that is a larger
percentage than either the vegetable or
animal Kingdoms produce In natural
condition"
81 know it, but we exercise the
greatest care in the start, and guard the
little fellows until they become able
to care for themselves"
The foregoing conversation occurred
at Caledonia where the representative
OF this paper was paying visit to the
state fish hatcheries 1t has been his
privilege to report very many interest
ing sights within the past twenty five
years, but the view presented here ex
ceeds in interest anything ever before
attempted.
"How many fish are there in those
ponds, Mr.. Green =
GAS we have never attempted to
count them it will be imp ossible to say.
They extend way up into the millions
though. We shipped over three millions
out of the ponds this year and there
seemed to be as many afterward as be-
fore. We have nearly every variety
of the trout family and many hybirds." :"
"Yon speak of hybirds. Mr. Green.
What do you mean by that ?"
81 have experimental for years in
crossing the breed of the various fish
and am still working upon it. We
cross the female salmon trout with the
male brook trout, and thus produce
hybrid. Then we cross the hybrid with
the brook trout, which gives us three
quarter brook trout and one-quarters
salmon trout, This makes one of
the finest fishes in the world. He
has all the habits of the brook trout,
lives in both streams and lakes, devel-
ops vermillion spots on his sides, rises
readily to fly, is far more vigorous
and fully one-third larger than ordi-
nary brook trout of the same age. The
possibilities of development in the fish
world are great and we are rapidly as
certalnlng what they are.
As the man of news watched the
countenance of Mr.. Green while he was
giving the above account, he could
not but feel that he was in the presence
of one of the few investigators who,
from a rich ard lifelong experience,
bring great benefit to the world. Let
the reader imagine a strong and stall
wart frame, surmounted by head
strongly resembling that of Socrates,
and covered with white silky beard
and luxuriant gray hair. Seth Green,
the father of fish culture, is a picture
of health, and the reporter could not
help remarking so.
''If you had seen me the last winter
and spring, young man, you might
have thought differently said the vet
eran.
"How is that One would think, to
look at you, that sickness was some
thing of which you knew nothing
''And so it was until last winter. |
went down into Florida in the fall to
see what kind of fish they had in that
state and study their habits and was
attacked with malaria in its severest
form, and when came home | realized
for the first time in my life, that was
sick. My symptoms were terrible. l
had dull, aching pains in my head,
limbs and around my back My appe-
tite was wholly gone, and felt lack
of energy such as l had often heard
described but had never experienced
Amy one who has ever had severe at
tack of malaria can appreciate my con
dition. l went to bed and remained
there all the spring, and if there ever
was sick man was one"
'It seems hardly possible. How did
you come to recover so completely 2
"My brother who had been afflicted
by severe kidney trouble and threat
ened with Bright's disease was COM
pletely cured by remedy in which |
had great confidence. l therefore
tried the same remedy for my malaria
and am happy to say | am well man
to-day and through the instrumentality
of Warmers Safe Cure, which | believe
to be one of the most valuable of me-
dicines, Indeed, see it is endorsed
by the United States medical college of
New York, and that DR. Gum, dean
of that institution, has written long
article concerning its value"
"And are you not as well as former.
ly?"
apparently so. keep the remedy
on hand all the while though and do
not hesitate to recommend it to others. q"
"One question more, How many
ponds of fish have you here and how
are they diyided!'
swell, we have 43 ponds which are
divided up as follows 22 ponds of
brook trout, ponds of salmon trout, 4
of McClOud river or rainbow trout, 2
ponds of German trout, of California
mountain trout, ponds of by ybirds of
one-quarter salmon and three-quarters
brook trout, ponds of gold fish, and
pond of Carp. Then we have what we
call the centennial pond of 'happy fami-
ly' consisting of crosses of different