The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1896-05-29
BY THE MILLION
TROUT CULTURE I'M MONTANA ON
THE BROAD-G GAUGE PLAN.

Grows Mountain Trout in Numbers that
Run into Six Figures-An Important In
dustry Which Should be Encouraged.
Much has been said recently respecting
the sustaining Of our home industries in
all fields and there seems a growing dis
position to do SO as the matter is more
and more called to the attention Of the
people. An increasing use of our own
domestic flour has led to the expansion
OF the states agricultural area and the
building of a number Of new mills; our
!, barley fields have doubled in the past
! i've years through the augmenting con
sumption of our home -brewed beer, and
IN the line of small fruits our home mar
kets are now almost altogether supplied
| by the product OF the Bitter Root, Gala
tin and Yellowstone valleys.
| Beyond some more or less unsatlsfac-
tory experiments made with carp in the
Yellowstone region, not much attention
has SO far been paid to the propagation
OF the fish life of our lakes and streams,
though herein exists the prolific source
of one of the most important food pro-
ducts OF the state, from which an un-
limited supply could in time be main
tanned. There is, however, here and
there some progress being made in this
field and among those who have been
most successful in it is William Dilts, the
scene of whose operations is in the Clear
water country.
MIR. Dilts, who was in the city on Mon
day, called at the office of THE New
NORTHWEST and in response to inquiries
gave the following facts respecting his
plant:
II am conducting fish hatchery on
the borders Of Fish lake, which," said he,
CONSTITUTES one of the chief sources Of
miles north from Drummond station, on
the n. P. railroad, and is 12 miles west of
Ovando. A tri-weekly stage line con-
meets Drummond with WoodWorth. six
miles from Fish lake, from whence
make regular shipments from my ponds
to the markets Of the state once each
week."
s'What sort Of fish are you propa eating
and in what way do you operate?"
Il am Matching mountain trout only,
and my method is as follows: From Fish
lake | draw the water into artificial ponds
from 10 to SO feet in depth, along whose
shores are the spawning beds. These con-
sist of reservoirs in which the spawners
are held until ripe, when they are taken
out and the eggs squeezed by hand into
trays 20 inches long, IS inches wide and
six inches deep. contained in troughs.
Into each of these trays about 100000
eggs are placed. After obtaining the
spawn the fish are released and return to
the parent lake. When hatched, the
young fish are turned into small Artificial
lakes, called .fry ponds,' where they are
allowed to find their own food. At pres
ent have in my trays 100000 eggs. In
one lake, 60 acres in extent, I have in
| past seasons put one and one half mill
lion and all have grown up to healthy
maturity. The loss on these young fish
will not reach higher than two per cent"
"How long have you been engaged In
the business, and do you have authority
from the state to use the waters of Fish
lake for the purpose?'
81 have been five years in the business"
| continued Mr.. Dilts, "and my authority
exists in this instrument which you see
bears the signature of the governor and
permits me to maintain hatchery for
two years. A bill will be presented to
the next legislature asking for a grant of
! longer limit, in consideration of my fur
nishing to the state 100000 mountain
trout for the purpose of stocking such
streams as the board Of state land COM
missioners may designate.
"At present I am building hotel and
expect to make an attractive summer re-
sort, where visitors may come for an out
ing and enjoy unlimited sport. There is
good fishing in my private ponds at all
times, to which visitors will be welcome,
and Fish lake, which is IA miles in
length by one-half mile in width and 81
feet deep, affords fine boating. The av-
erAge size of the two and three year old
/ fich in the nnnds ia thraa-Olla rtars pf a