The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-05
Appears in Topeka With a Car
of Fish.
Will Distribute Them Along the
Union Pacific.
HAS HAD MANY CALLS.
Ellis Alone Sent in Seventeen
Applications.
CrOppie Is a FavOrite and Well
Adapted to Kansas.

Prof. L. L. Dyche, the state fish and
game warden, is as happy today as a
clam at high tide. He stopped an
hour in Topeka this morning with a
carload of fish en- route west. He has
twelve thousand fish in this car and
will distribute them at every station
along the line of the Union Pacific
from here to Oakley in Logan county.
Most of these fish are crOppie and
perch and catfish, all small ones from
three to four inches long, especially
adapted for the small streams in the
western part of the state. The black
bass and larger catfish will be dis
tributed next week in the larger
streams and ponds in the eastern part
of the state.
The professor stated today that he
had received seventeen individual or
ders from Ellis for fish, and that he
had string of orders from most OF
the county seat towns of the state. He
is enthusiastic over conditions at the
Pratt hatchery. The professor did not
distribute any fish last fall, as he
wanted to wait until the fish were
larger and stronger and therefore in
better shape to adapt themselves to
new surroundings. He believes that
one fish in the spring is worth four
fish in the fall for distribution pur-
poses. He had a good word to say for
the croppie. This hsh, according to
the professor, thrives in Kansas
streams. 1t does well in muddy water
and grows rapidly to good size. An
advantage it has over the bass is the
fact that the croppie lives on insects
and crustaceans, only eating about 10
per cent of fish. while the bass eats .
per cent of fish. A bass will eat its
own kind while a croppie is not that
style of a cannibal.
The professor loaded his car last
night at Pratt, only taking three and
one-half hours for the job of catching
the fish and storing them in the car
tank. He found the fish in fine shape
active and Of good size. He hopes to
stock the state pretty thoroughly this
spring and looks for good fishing next
year all over Kansas. He is going to
enforce the fish laws vigorously this
year.
1t is a treat to hear the professor
discuss Histology. He is full of the
subject and talks most interestingly
He declared that the bass was such
yoracious and pugnacious fish that it
was hard job to stock stream with
them They destroy each other. But
the croppie grows more rapidly and
much larger per cent live and thrive
in any stream or pond.
when people come after their fish
now" said the professor, they drive
to the station in an automobile The
result is that it only takes an hour or
two after leaving the tank in the car
for the fish to reach their new home
in some pond or stream. Few of the
fish die en- route. They reach their
destination in good condition. For
merly the fish were carried home from
the station in wagons and spent all
dav in a pail or tub. No one ever
calls for fish now in wagon. The
western Kansas farmer uses an auto
mobile Before leave my office I ex
pect these farmers to call for their
fish in airships. Well. 1 must be get
ting along. My train leaves in an
hour" The fact was the professor
wanted to get back to his fish. He
had been away from them for nearly
an hour.