The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-11-11
A VISIT TO THE STATE FISH HATCH.
ERY

EN-.
The writer, together with several
members of the Vermont Fish and Game
League, spent half dayat the hatchery,
which is located in one of our beautiful
Vermont valleys, along the the line of
the Central Vermont railroad in the
town of Roxbury Upon our arrival we
were greeted first by pair of noble
looking watch-dogs which must be a
terror to any person who visits the place
with evil ictent We next made the ac-
qantance of Mr.. Flint, the very genial
attendant now in charge, who kindly
volunteered to show us around. We first
inspected the two rearing ponds, which
contain about 10000 trout Matched last
spring. The trout showed excellent care !;
the ponds were very clean and tidy, and
to the casual observer seem all right;
but upon careful examination we deem
it admissible to make few suggestions
intended to promote the welfare of fish
culture in our State,
We find that some of the fish are
spotted with fungus, indicating to those
who are familiar with fish culture, a con-
dition which will bring death to the fish,
The spring from which the water supply
comes is nicely walled up and divided
into four parts by partitions These par
titions are made of wood not coated, and
for this reason they form a prolific
source of fungus, and consequently an
unhealthy condition among the fish in
the rearing ponds. If the water was not
of the best and temperature very low at
all times, the death rate from this source
hn, ,,nl, Eos, flntN %,
All wood immersed in water should be
coated with coal tar or asphaltum, which
will entirely prevent the growth of fun
gus, and thus insure the life of the trout
from this death-dealing plant. We
noticed also that many of the young
trout have a more or less aggravated
form of inflammation of the gills, which,
if allowed to increase, will as surely kill
the fish as any other form of disease.
As we look about for cause of this
condition we find that the water supply
must pass from compartments that con
tain in all about 1000 trout of various
sizes, from one pound down. This water,
coming as it does from the earth at this
point, contains but little oxygen, large
portion of which is now consumed by its
inhabitants before the water reaches the
spout which conveys it to the rearing
ponds below. No provision being made
for the Rration of the water before
reaching the rearing ponds, except by
fall of about eighteen inches, enough
oxygen is not retained or absorbed for
the support of so many fish at this point.
Consequently, the fish must breathe
faster than normal, and such breathing
is the direct cause of inflammation of
the gills, which, if allowed to continue,
become very disastrous to all fish that
are forced to exist in water with an in
sufficient supply of oxygen. This condi-
ton can be remedied by increasing the
volume of water 1.-THE better way, or by
making changes that will admit of better
Rl alton of water, either by system of
falls, Or running some distance upon the
ground before entering the rearing
ponds.
WeneXt examined the compartments
for adult trout, and found about 100 as
clean and healthy fish as one could wish
to see, contained in four small pens at
the spring which is enclosed in masonry
and divided by the wood partitions,
before mentioned, into four parts. Many
of the trout contain spawn, and under
proper conditions for obtaining them
would yield $4,000 eggs but under pres
ent arrangement no eggs can be taken
except from trout caught directly from
the pen, and it is next to impossible to
catch such trout as are wanted at the
proper time; besides a constant dis
turbance is made among those not want
ed. This condition of affairs is I'M
natural, contrary to any reliable authOri-
ty upon the subject, and will probably
cause the loss of nine-tenths of the pro-
duct which might be secured by properly
constructed raceways, in which the trout
ready to spawn might seek the natural
solitude required to obtain the best re-
suits. The trouble must be remedIed
Immediately if the product of eggs which
the State hopes to obtain this season is
to be secured. Otherwise the trout
which should yield the State at least
80, 600, with the utmost diligence on the
part of any one who tries to take them
from their present quarters. Very few
trout will seek the raceway that are not
nearly ready to spawn. By the natural
instinct exhibited one may always tell
when they are ready; and net may be
placed at the lower end of the raceway
and take only such trout as are wanted
without disturbing any of the others.
At the Matching house we find model
hatchery indeed-neat and we'll kept,
with only one objection noted. The
.A,s. ,.,L. I'll. l. r