Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-10-27

dam and this road were built by c. f..
HcXie 4 Co. of Augusta, while j. f.
Hartman of Gardiner had the con-
tract for building the fish hatchery and
adjacent buildings. The moving of the
farm buildings from their former posi-
ton to commanding site overlook
ing the knoll was done by J. p. Chase
OF Gardiner. Since the work begun
in May d crew of from II to 20 men
has been employed in the project.
which even now that the biggest stage
of it is completed is still in many
ways in the rough. The men will be
kept at work until the snow forbids
and even then there will likely b.
much additional work in the spring.
This farm is to be mainly a trout
farm. but its owner will not lose
sight of the other farm features. He
plans later to set out large num-
Der of fruit trees and also To carry
some fine blooded stock upon the place
and it is in connection with this part
of the plan that the farm buildings
upon the knoll are to be remodeied
and placed in shape. The location
only about six miles from Augusta
over a good road makes it a favorable
one for handling both the trout and
whatever other farm products may
come later
While Ex-Governor Hill expects to
realize considerably more than his
outlay from the commercial part Of
the enterprise one of the great reasons
which induced him to take up the de-
VelopmCnt of this farm is that he be-
lieves that an out-Of-doorS life will
be of great benefit to his health. Some
of the farm grounds will be laid out
in attractive style and a number Of
small artificial pools constructed so
as to make it a place of beauty to a
considerable extent.
The temperature of the brook is one
which Ex-Governor Iill believes will
be of the utmost advantage in trout
raising. in spite of the fact that some
trout raiserS have told him that 1t
will he found TOO Geld in summer. and
too warm in winter. He has found up
on investigation Of the commercial
hatcheries that Il temperature in the
neighborlood of from 20 to 60 de,
grces is the one which many of them,
IiIit HlSLtI oDi'. ! TX tN u dSt lNlllJtI
ture of the water at the hatchery is
IL and at point ;on'n distance DO
low. 81 degrees. This temperature Will
save him large outlay in enc re-
spect at least. for it will not DO neceS-
sary for him to cover his feeding pools
il. the vicinity of the hatchery. which
has been done at other hatcherieS at
q large outlay.
The temp, nature Of Spring Brook
varies but little throughout the year
and it's volume is approximately a mil
lion and a half gallons ~ q hours.
The summer heat hardly affects it at
all and ice very little The water shed
is ample and all its surroundings
make it an ideal SPOT fer trout cul-
ture.
ITO the layman," says Ex-Governor
Hill. lit may seem Il very easy matter
to dam up some runnin'; water build
a hatchery and go to raising trout.
story, What is needed is constant
supply of pure and cold water. When
the water is loaded with vegetable
matter or its temperature is above a
degrees the trout suffer and as re.
suit they refuse to bite and make for
the deep holes. where spring water Is
likely to come in"
That srrin" water brings more sat
islactory results in trout culture in
spite of the contention that the eggs
hatch out more quickly in warm water
than in cold is evidenced from thc fact
that the commercial natcheries in
Rhode Island and Southern MaSSa clu-
sets all mako use Of spring water.
Ex-Governor Hill. although he has
spent considerable time at these
hatcheries. expects to learn more in
regard to their methods and to that
end he will have his superintendent.
Mr.. Greeley visit them later and make
an extended inquiry into their meth
DDS.
Another point in trout culture which
the layman may not know is that 1t
is necessary to guard against is the
destruction of the fishes by their own
kind. for trout arc great cannifais
and the larger ones have a Very de-
plcra BILE habit Of eating W their
smaller brothers. In order to avcid
this as much as possible those nearly
of a size are kept togethe" and this
plan will be carefully adhered to al
Spring Brook fam.