The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-07-25

lines OF railway and public observation that
lie within the radius of the WATCHNIAN's
circulation that it has been determined to
continue this feature from time to time.
Words of approval Of this scheme have been
many times received, not only from the
people of the communities more immedi-
ately interested, but from the general
reader as well, whose cordial endorsements
OF discovering Vermont to Vermonters JUS
titles its continuance.
IT IS ALWAYS THAT WAY.
The WATCHMAN has long had in mind a
visit to the State Fish Hatchery at Roxbury,
and to describe what is to be seen there
Last Wednesday, accompanied by Fish
Commissioner G. 9. Warren of Waterbury
and representatives of two other state
papers, reporter for this paper went to the
hatchery, and since that time has had a
broader view of what is being accomplished
there. No notice of the intended visit of
the party was sent, and things were found
exactly as visitors might find them at any
other time
KEPT HIS TEMPER UNDER DIFFICULT
CONDITIONS.
Ever since the first buildings were
erected, in 1891, Mr. Warren has had full
charge of the hatchery and everything con-
nected Herewith, and the present we'll
equipped and productive plant is the best
comment that can be made as to his execu-
tive ability and fitness for the position he
holds. Even under the cross-fre of three
inquisitive reporters, Mr.. Warren never
lost his temper, but had an intelligent
answer for every question-and some of
them must have seemed very foolish to
him. Ii is proper to state in this connec-
ton that Commissioners Warren and Tit
comb agreed between themselves that Mr..
Warren should have full charge of the
hatchery, and Mr.. Titcomb of the fish and
game and wardens of thess estate. The many
successful prosecutions that have been
made for violations of the fish and game
laws OF the state are an evidence that Mr..
Iltcomb is personally seeing to it that the
wardens attend to their duties.
SITE AND SURROUNDINGS OF THE HATCHERY.
The hatchery at Roxbury is situated
short distance below Roxbury depot, near
the main line of the Central Vermont rail-
road. So close to the track are the ponds
that the fish can be seen when the trains are
not running at too high a rate of speed
The location is an ideal one. 1t is central
AN important thing to be considered in
the distribution OF fry over the state. A
hne spring and brook water also form an
important feature, and the combination of
the two is most desirable. The site COM
prises about four acres of land on which the
main spring is located, the whole enclosed
with a neat painted picket fence seven feet
nlgh. Ihe spring is very large one and
Is surrounded by substantial stone wall,
the water passing through an iron pipe to
the hatchery building, some 400 feet distant.
1t also flows into a hume where it is COM
bined with brook water and taken to ponds
below. These consist of two fry ponds,
sixty feet long by four feet wide, into which
young fish are placed when they arrive at
suitable size.
HOW THE TROUT ARE FED.
These little fellows are automatically fed
by use of a water-wheel, turned by the
water as it enters the pond. Farther down
are six large ponds, divided into eleven
compartments where breeding trout are
kept In one Of these ponds are 900 trout
that will average one pound each, and hum
dreds of them will weigh two and three
pounds. They are tame as kittens, and to
see them fed is enough to stir the blood of
any one who has particle of the sportsman
in his makeup. Mr.. Warren took SCOOP
net, and with one dip hauled up a half
dozen OF the largest ones for the closer in
spection of thewondering newspaper men.
PONDS ARE CLEANED INDEPENDENTLY OF
EACH OTHER.
Sill further below the ponds mentioned,
another large one is in process of construc-
tion; this will be divided into three COM
partmsnts. All these ponds are 80 arranged
that any one of them can be drawn off and
cleaned without interfering with the flow
OF waterto the others. They are provided
with spawning races for the trout to ascend
when ready to spawn, and from which they
can be more readily taken than from the
large ponds.
SEVERAL VARIETIES OF TROUT ARE BRED.
These ponds now contain some 900 trout,
all over year old, while many of them
will weigh from two and one-half to three
pounds each. Be'ides the brook trout, there
are IN these ponds lake trout rainbow trout,
brown trout. and aud.locked salmon, all of
which have been hstched and reared at the
hatchery. The hatchery building is forty
by thirty feet, and contains twenty-five
Matching troughs, twelve feet long by
eighteen inches wide. In these are now
being reared about 1000 brook trout. Part
of these will be retained at the hatchery
for breeders. They are of last springs
hatch and are now nearly two inches long.
The constantly-increasing demand for fry
will make it necessary to increase the ca
pacity Of the hatchery in the near future.
Through the report of the fish commission
ers, now being made up, the public will
learn the results obtained from fry that
have been sent out from the hatchery dur
ing the past few years, Letters in the
hands of the commissioners show, in nearly
every instance, wonderful results.
THE FOOD AND HOW PREPARED.
In building twenty by thirty-five feet is
the ice, meat and cook-house. The ice is
stored around the refrigerator in which the
meat is kept, thereby saving any loss of
time or waste of ice in moving it. The
other part OF the building is utilized for
cooking the meat and preparing it to feed
the large and small trout. For the small
fry 1t is mixed with milk after being cooked,
and, after running through a press, is
strained so that all the particles may he
small enough for the youngest fish. The
large trout are fed with liver and beef kid
neys obtained from West Randolph, North
field, Roxbury, Waterbury and Montpelier.
BEWARE OF THE DOGS.
Everything about the construction OF the
plant appears to have been made with
view to its enlargement at some future
time without inconvenience. Mr.. War
ren's assistant is j. Q. Flint, who has been
at the hatchery ever since its erection. Two
large mastiffs guard the property at night,
and most faithfully do they perform their
duty, obviating the necessity of an expense
of some $500 per year for watchman.
Any one having business at the hatchery is
advised to call during the daytime, when
they will be welcome.
PRODUCT OF THE HATCHERY.
In the fall of 1892 about 100,0 900 eggs
were spawned at the hatchery, last fall
10000, and this coming fall Mr.. Warren ex-
poets to strip 100000 eggs. More than