Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-02-07
PROFIT In FISH FARMING.
TROUT THE PRODUCT RAISED FOR
THE MARKET.
Arrangement of the Three Ponds
Notwithstanding Undesirable
Land-Best Food for the Fish

x MONG the new industries of
this generation, says the New
III York Sun, one is raising food
fish. 1t was only very re-
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 are the favorite 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 purposes
can be utilized. First of all the fish
farmer must have water, and nothing
but good water at that. A mere pond
fed by surface drainage will not an
swer. There must be running water
it need not be large stream, but it
must be springfield and never-fsiling.
The latter requirement is not always
easy to satisfy, for a surprising num-
Der of good sized brooks and rivers
go dry during the hot months. Hav-
ing secured the proper water supply,
the next thing to be considered is the
lay of the land. If there is fair,
natural fall, say of one foot or more
to every hundred feet, it materially
reduces tho cost of constructing the
ponds. If the fall be four or five
feet instead of one, it is very desir-
able, since that permits the erection
of u small waterfall at the foot of each
pond, the tumblins descent of the
stream aerating and refreshing the
water. The area required is from five
to ten acres, depending on the size of
the ponds, which must be at least
three in number. If the fish cultur-
ist proposes to do his own Matching
from eggs he will require very elab-
crate plant, but most of the men in
the business say it is cheaper to buy
the fry at the State or other hatch
cries.
Pond No. ], which will be the high
est, is the abiding place of the tiny
newcomers, the newly Matched fry, not
more than all 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 firm
retaining wall. If boys or poachers
are a possible danger thorn hedge
makes a good barrier, but it is not SO
hardy as the others. A few protect
ing rocks and loose boughs thrown
into the pond serve as shelters from
chance enemies, such as the king
fishers, bittern, herons, ducks, minks,
and muskrats. Aquatic weeds are
healthful and advantageous, both as
affording shadows from the hot sum-
mer sun and as clinging places for the
countless microscopic forms of life
that feed the tinny babies. Water
lilies are bad, not because they have
not the good qualities of the grasses,
but because they will grow SO rank
and SO thick as to fill up the entire
pond and become menace to the
cleanliness OF the water The pretty
sagittaria planted on the margin makes
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 be left, if possible a stretch OF
running brook, for in swift water the
trout is at his best, and his flesh will
be tirmer and sweeter for active feed
ing. In the early morning 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 to overhang, SO that
the bugs and grubs which in warm
weather haunt the branches may serve
as food for the fish. If the soil is such
that ferns can be raised along the
bank, they should be planted, for they
abound in and attract insect life OF
many sorts.
The dam between ponds Nos. l and
must be guarded by strong iron
netting of very small mesh. At one
side, if the fall is more than foot, 6
wooden fishway should be built, SC
that the rush of water when the fish
are lowered from No. to No. 2 will
not injure the young trout. In the
lower ponds this precaution is un.
necessary, for no cataract could kill @
well-Srown trout in good health. Be.
low the dam comes stretch of say 2OC
feet of running stream. If cramped
for room the course of this need not
be straight, but may be doubled, SO
that pond No. 2 is separated by only a
few yards from the upper one. Ol
course, the yearlings freed from the
upper nursery pond will now need
more room and freedom, SO that this
lower pond should be much more ex-
tensive. 1t must be deeper, too
and, IN order to provide depths and
still make it easy to empty the two
year-olds into the last pond, a narrow
channel is dug through the centre.
When the water is drawn off, the fish
are driven into this canal and easily
forced down into tho big pool be.
low.
1t is in the construction of the low.
est or receiving pond, No. 3, that the
greatest care and foreSioht are re.