The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-03-08

Fifty miles east of Buffalo, on the
line of the Rochester and Pittsburg rail
road, lies the little village of Caledonia.
The hamlet reposes in the midst of a
beautiful country, and is but one of the
delightful rural retreats which abound
in Livingston county. And one mile
to the north is the equally pleasant
village of Mumford, and midway be-
tween the two are located the famous
New York State Fisheries and Hatch
cries. The modest sign, "New York
State Fish Farm" adorns the gate-post
in front of a dilapidated farm house
and a short drive through winding
lane brings the visitor to the great pis-
cicultural nursery. The present state
hatcheries are the outgrowth ofthe prim-
tive establishment erected by Seth
Green, the "father of fishes" as far back
as 1864. He was attracted to the sport
by the beauties of Spring Creek, which
sweeps down from the south through
ss----.sI ->----- a. .~l-~>1 I>-.--,.Sl.la feraet
trees. The water is clear and cold and
has been the home of beautiful and
gamey brook trout from time immemo-
rial.
This creek possesses not only the re-
quisites of first-class trout stream, but
is, in its peculiarities, one of the won
derS ofnature. Scarcely a mile in length,
it has a volume of water sufficient for
the daily supply of a quarter of mil
lion of people. Its source is in so-called
springs, which rise from the ground in
volumes in some places of the diameter
of barrel. The watershed immedi-
ately adjoining the stream is so limited
that the amount of surface water flow
ing into it is too inconsiderable to af-
feet either its purity or its temperature.
Scientists entertain the beliefthat Spring
creek is the outward continuation of
great underground stream, receiving
its supply from some other external wa
ter miles away. On the banks of this
beautiful stream Seth Green erected a
small Matching house, and commenced
the work which hassince grown to such
enormous proportions.
The first efforts were devoted to the
propagation of salem trout. Of neces-
sity his operations were limited and it
was not long before he sold out to- Mr..
Collins, of Rochester. Subsequently
the premises were leased by the state,
and up to the year 1875 the practical
operations of the New York Fish Com
mission were conducted there. The
urgent demand for speckled trout caus-
ed the Legislature to make an appropri
alton of SI4 900 with which the origi
nal site and Matching appliances were
purchased. From that year the science
of breeding and raising fish has made
rapid strides.
To the two brothers, Seth and Mon
roe A. Green, belongs the chief honor.
The former holds the position of gener-
al superintendent, while Monroe has di-
rect charge of the principal workings of
the establishment. Monroe Green is
natural genius. His inventive skill
fish, so that depopulated streams have
been replenished and palatable food
fish furnished the millions. By his in
ventions the eggs offsh have been trans
ported to all points in this and foreign
lands, many of them in exchange for
others, the result being a choice selec-
ton for stocking purposes. The state
hatcheries of to-day include about six
acres of land and water. The ground
contain numerous ponds provided with
gates and screens, so that the water in
them is constantly changing and is al
ways fresh. In one section of the ponds
are brook trout from two to three years
old, the one adjoining four-year olds.
In four sections alone are 40, 900 fish,
which are kept for breeding purposes.
Another pond filled with Lake Ontario,
Lake Huron and Georgian Bay trout,
which are Matched on the grounds.
These fish are from six to eleven years
old, and weigh from three to eighteen
pounds.
,,p The n feeding din Of sthssf gonstats
Jump four or five feet out of the water
to seize the food, not waiting until y
strikes the surface. Duringthe time OF
feeding the water splashes and bollS as
though some powerful submarine forces
were at work. The food consists OF
mixture of tripe and liver.
Thirteen sections of the ponds are I'LL
ed with beautiful California mountain
trout. There are about 5000 in each
pond. There are also sections tlled
with the Rainbow or Cloud River trout,
the handsomest fish known to piscacul-
turists. By many this is considered
finer and gamier fish than our own ma
tive trout.
Thespawn season is preferred bymany
as the time for visiting the state hatch
cries. The observant person will GER
tianly gain much valuable experience by
the visit. The ponds number thirty
five. At the head of each is covered
sluice with bed of gravel. Into these
sluicies the fish run to spawn. Al the
proper moment they are taken by ex-
puIicnccd manipulators,t the spawn press
ed into tubs and Immediately impreg-
| mated with the milt from the male fish.
Then the eggs are transferred to trays
| which fit into Matching cases, there
being twelve to fifteen trays to each case
These are placed in troughs through
which pure water is kept constantly
running. The effect is the same as
| when the spawn have been mutually cast
| in spring currents. Each day the con
tents of the trays are carefully inspected
and all dead spawns removed. The
fry when hatched-which in the case Of
trout is usually about ten weeks-are
deposited in shallow troughs, partially
| filled with gravel, where they lie abou
five weeks. They are then transferred
to boxes with screened bottoms, an
chored in the open water, and are read.
for distribution.
Last season the capacity of the hatch
cry was 5000, 900 of fry. When tn
Press correspondentvisited the ground
few days ago all the buildings wher
| erection OF larger ana more coilVen. NJ
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