Delta chief., 1883-10-24
THE FATHER OF FIsH.cULruRE.
Seth Green's Ideas About tho Finny
Tribe and Some Of His Varied
ExpDrience1.

''How did you ever come to devise
this schemep"
II have been working on it ever since
was large enough to bend a PIN"
The above remark was addressed to
Mr.. Seth Green, the veteran fish-cultur-
ist, who is known to the entire world,
and his reply indicates the extent Of his
labors.
when l was quite young" he con-
tinued, 81 would lie on the limbs of
trees that reached out over the water
entire afternoons watching the move
ments of the fish and studying their
habits In this way discovered many
characteristics which were b-fore un-
known. saw, as every observer must
see, the destructive elements that are
warning against fish, and l realized
that unless something were done, the
life in the streams of this country would
become extinct. To counteract this di-
sastrons end became my life work, and
am happy to say Ihave seen its accom-
plishment."
Were YOU successful in the start?"
"No, indeed. Up TO that time all ar
tificial attempts to hatch and raise fish
from the swawn had failed, and l was
compelled to experiment in an entirely
new manner. The work was a careful
and tedious one, but l finally succeed
ed. and to-day am able to hatch and
raise full seventy-five per cent of all
spawn"
Enormous! Why that is larger
percentage than either the vegetable or
animal kingdoms produce in natural
condition."
"a know it, but we exercise the great
est care in the start, and guard the lit
tie fellows until they become able to
care for themselves"
The foregoing conversation occurred
at Caledonia where the representive of
this paper was paving a 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 cx-
ceeds in interest anything ever before
attempted.
How many fish are there in those
ponds, Mr.. Green?"
''As we have never attempted to count
them it will impossible 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 afterwards rs before. We
have nearly every variety of the trout
family and many hybrids."
You speak of hybrids, Mr.. Green.
What do you mean by that?"
II 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 tina
. male brook trout, and thus produce n
hybrid. Then we cross the hybrid
with the brook trout, which gives IL
three-quarter ''rook trout and one-quars
ter 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, develops
vermilion spots on his sides. rises rcadi-
ly to a ny, is far more vigorous and
fully one-third larger than ordinary
brook trout Of the same age. The pos
sibilit,es Of development in tho fish
world arr great and We are rapidly as
certaining 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
rich and lifelong experience, bring
great benefit to the world. Let the read
err imagine strong and stalwart frame,
surmounted by head strongly rcsemb-
ling that of Socrates. and covered with
n white silky beard and luxuriaut gray
hair Seth Green, the father of fish cul-
turc, is a picture Of health. and the re-
porter could not help remarking so.
..If you had seen me this 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
thug Of which you knew nothing"
"And SO IL was until winter went
down into Floida in the fall to see what
kind of fish they had in tha- 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. had dull.
aching pains in my head, limbs and
around my back. My appetite was
wholly gone, and felt lack of energy
such rs had often heard described but
had never experienced. Any one who
has ever had severe attack of malaria
can appreciate my condition. ! went to
bed and remained there all spring. and
II there ever WAS sick man l was the
one.'
at seems hardly possible. How did
You come to recover so completely"
my dear brother who had been af-
fiicted by severe kidney trouble and