The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16
FISH FARMS PROFITABLE.
TROUT THE PRODUCT RAIsED on
THEM FOR THE MARKER.

Arraneenent OF the Three FoHds Reantrea
-Fresh-w.ter shri,ps the Food Used
The Right 20 Sell the Fish Out ofseasor.
Among tho new industries Of this generation
GENTLY that the first experiments in the business
were made. but so signal was the success Of the
pioneers that there are to-day = score Of fish
farms in New England alone. On account Of the
scarcity OF wild trout and the great demand for
them. the spotted brook trout tSdimo JontindIs)
are the fav orite species for farming purposes.
One Of the first advantages Of this form of
farming over all others, save perhaps cranberry
raising. Is that land undesirable for other pur-
poses can be utilized. First Of all the Hsh farm
er must have water. and nothing but good
water Mt that. A mere pond fed by surface
drainage will not answer. There must be rum
ming water; II need not be . large stream, but
II must lie springfield and never-failing. The
latter requirement is not always easy 10 satisfy.
for a surprising number OF eood-sized brooks
and rivers so dry during the hot months. Hav-
ing secured the proper water supply. the next
thing to be considered is the lay of the land. II
there Is q fair. natural fall, say Of one foot or
more to every hundred feet, IL materially re-
duces tho cost Of constructing the ponds.
II tho fall be four or five feet instead
of one II is very desirable, since that permits the
erection of q small waterfall at the foot Of each
pond. the tumbling descent of the stream aerat-
hhk Wv OhANSbAh kNN "N~hs A.S eANE w
aulrcd is from I'VE to ten acres, depending on tho
size Of the ponds, which must be at least three
in number. II the fsh ~culturist proposes 10 do
his own Matching from eggs he will require .
very elaborate plant. but most Of the men In the
business say It Is cheaper TO buy the fry at the
Btate or other hatcheries.
Pond No. l. which will be the highest, Is the
abiding place Of the tiny newcomers, the newly
Matched fry. not more than an inch long and
very tender. The banked-up edge of the pond
must be planted with willows or alders, the
thick roots of which will knit the soil and gravel
into n firm retaining wall. II boys or poschers
are q possible danger n thorn hedge makes q
good barrier, but IL Ia not so hardy as the others.
A few protecting rocks and loose boughs thrown
into tho poud serve as shelters from chance
enemies, such as the kingfshers. Bit
tern, herons, ducks, minks, and muskrats.
Aquatic weeds are healthful and advan-
taGcous. both as affording shadows from the
hot sumrner sun and as clinging places
for the countless microscopic forms of
life that feed the fnny babies. Water lilies are
bad. not because they have not the good quail
ties of the grasses, but because they will grow
30 rank and 50 thick as to fill up the entire pond
and become II menace to the cleanliness Of the
water. The pretty sagittaria planted on the
margin makes a beautiful and safe playground
for the youngsters In the shadows, since birds
cannot feed among its stiff stalks. At the head
of each pond should always DO left, IL possible, q
stretch OF running brook. for In swift water the
trout is at his best, and his flesh will be flrmer and
sweetcr for active feeding. In the early morn
ing and at night the fish will run up into the
ripples to feed and play. Alders and osiers
should be set along this quick water and trained
IN warm weather haunt the branches may serve
as food for the fish. II the soil 10 such that ferns
planted, FOR they abound In and attract insect
life OF many sorts.
guarded by a strong IRON netting OF very small
mesh. Atone side, II the fall Is more than a
the rush Of water when the fish are lowered To-
from No. ! to No. 2 will not injure the young
s nsses.ar rg toe ior lG nu c pGaas thi so p5sT- iii a I, w III.
grown Jont,naIs IN good one health IN, Below the
sa% GoH'f Il C stnspsa 20 ' room not the ee eSS or ,S OF IN.
need not he straight but may be doubled,
co only 'As q fs SSha yards E0' from the s'p appss on Sy
or course, the yesMTlings freed from the upper
I Freedom pond so that %,i t nGs lo Ssse p %GTH s sSS% 'p Sd
much more extensive; i must BE- deeper. too;
pond, a narrow channel Is dug through the CEN
IRE; When ,n,n , The water water Is sd drawn on; the, the Ar share are
into the big pool below.
i is in Inc CONSTRUCTION Of the lowest or re;
foresight are required. One lately. built in
Massachusetts seems to be a model Of inge puity
gravel bar. and the whole bSSt:om OF the place is
sirHatioPs, All around the edge are piled
huge huge. s a9 s,.i e rock fo lUg;a and other
s,seriss of feeding and, lurking place, for the
feet these rocks and sunken trees are high and
dry and the fish are left on the clear bottom,
beach near the outlet at the lower end. BY this
arrangement the fish required Cor market can be
able home in the mean time is provided.
The proper feeding OF trout is u great prob
foods which answer very, well for the young Try,
and Shopped LIVER or dried grubs do very well
although they bring fully double the price fthe
study stud ''V there re0O has N'i been t0n ae shStf ana a PR sttissSai
which at once avoids this objectionable
doing away With tho Necessity Of fsspdRins s.;
hand. This is the planting or stocking
little crustaceans grow, quickly, multiply, with
incredible rapidity, and 9nce well started can
trout, As a food they are unsurpassed, the fish
raised on them outstripping in plumpness and
served by a student OF trout lite that a two-year-
old fish fed on shrimps will weigh from three
While others Of the same age taken from a Iiver.
fed preserve will be soft-tieshed, and weigh from
borne out by the fact that brook trout killed
in salt or brackish water, Just coming in from
small hermit crabs. and hddiers. showing cruss.
tscyans 10 DO a iavorite food. Frssh-water
Sand, and $40 worth, carefully, planted, will
stock a pond for years. AZ the New York State
hatchery at Caledonia, the shrimps are given
anu lakes. and viii doubtless be sold TO any ape
plicant at u merely nominal price.
The method OF transporting the baby trout
from the hatchery to the farms is interesting;
FRY can be transported. keeping them all alive
aud htaithy: This is done by treshening the
deeply Cuncave and thickly perforated. In this
conrinual drip keeps he water fresh and its tenn
peSature sufficiently low; OF late the Transports
ton Of young fish in sealed alright receptacles
has been tried, IL Is said, with entire success.
Tile Jar or Gottle must not be filled to more than
three-quaIters' depth, and then must be her
nIelicallv sealed, The only danger lies In the
trmperaturc becoming too high. in which case
tile hsh are bound 10 die. Packing in cloth, with
iCe outside the cloth. Is said 10 obyiate this
danger. The New south Wales Commissioners,