Huntsville gazette., 1883-10-13
THE FATHER OF FISH-CULTURE.
Seth Green's Ideas About the Finny Tribe
and Some of His Varied Ex-
Deriences.

Turf, Field and Farm.]
"How did you ever come to devise this
scheme"'
81 have been working at it ever since I
was large enough to bend PIN"
The above remark was addressed to Mr..
Seth Green, the veteran fish culturist, 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 movements of the
fish and studying their habits. In this way
l discovered many characteristics which
were before unknown. l saw, as every OBJ
server must see, the destructive elements
that are warning against fish, and real
lied that unless something were done, the
life in the streams of this country would
become extinct. To counteract this disas-
trous end became my life work, and | am
happy to say | have seen its accomplish
ment.o
("Were you successful on the start"
"No, indeed. Up to that time all arti-
fetal attempts to hatch and raise fish from
the spawn had failed, and | was compelled
to experiment in an entirely new manner.
The work was careful and tedious one,
but l finally succeeded, and to-day l am
able to hatch and raise fully seventy-five
per cent of all spawn"
'Enormous Why, that is larger per
NAL kingdoms produce in natural con-
dition."
II know it, but we exercise the greatest
care in the start, and guard the little fell
lows until they become able to care for
themselves"
The foregoing conversation occurred at
Caledonia, where the representative of this
paper was paying a visit to the State Fish
Hatcheries. 1t has been his privilege to
report very many interesting sights within
the past twenty-five years, but the view
presented here exceeds in interest anything
ever before attempted.
"How many fish are there in those ponds,
Mr.. Greenw
. AS we have never attempted to count
them it will be 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 afterward as before. We have near
~ every variety of the trout family and
many hybrids.'
"You speak of hybrids, Mr.. Green. What
do you mean by that!"
81 have experimental for years in cross
ing the breed of the various fish, and am still
working upon it. We cross the female sal
mon 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 quar-
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 readily to a fly, is
far more vigorous and fully one-third
larger than ordinary brook trout of the
same age. The possibilities of develop
meNt in the fish world are great. and we
are rapidly ascertaining what they are"
As the man of news watched the counte-
nance 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 and life
long experience, bring great benefit to the
world. Let the reader imagine a strong
and stalwart frame, surmounted by head
strongly resembling that of Socrates, and
covered with white, silky beard and lux
uriant gray hair. Seth Green, the father
OF fish culture, is picture of health, and
the reporter could not help remarking so.
s'If you had seen me the last winter and
spring, young man, you might have
thought differently" said the veteran
''How is that? One would think, TO look
at you, that sickness was something OF
which you knew nothing"