Year: 1873

At the close of navigation by ice the water is drawn from the canals in the vicinity of Rochester, New York, and great basins near that city, Formerly fishermen as chose to net them for the market. A few years since the Canal Commissioners, acting under the advice and others, gave the right of fishing in sioners of the State Their superin- tendent, MT. Seth Green, at once ar ranged to secure these fish by means of thus taken were placed in large wooden cars or tanks, which were kept beneath the ice, and preserved the fish in perfect condition. Circulars stating the varie- ties of fish and the description of water to which they were suited were dis tributed, and citizens of the State were invited to come to Rochester, bringing barrels or milk-cans, to convey such fish as might be desirable for the waters of their immediate neighborhood. The fish are delivered to them at Rochester without cost.

 The following varieties are deemed most favorable for stocking the general waters of the lakes and streams of New York and the Middle States 1. Wall eyed pike ?. Oswego bass; 3. White fish; 4. Yellow perch; 5. Rock bass ; 6. Black bass. The rock bass must not be confounded with the fish of that name taken in the Delaware and further South.

 Waters suitable to the black bass should not be left unstocked any more than land which is in perfect condition for cropping, and 1t is matter of doubt which will yield the better return. Seth Green, an authority on fish-culture, and person of intimate knowledge of the habits of all descriptions of fish, gives numerous illustrations of the wonderful increase of black bass and kindred fish. He instances small lake in Westchester county, in which twenty-four bass were placed by him. The lake was not sfhed during four years, at the end of which time a ton weight of fine black bass were taken with hook and line during a single season, and this drain did not diminish the supply during the succeed ing summer. Each year gives an in- creased yield, affording excellent sport and nutritious article of food.

 The favorite mode of stocking lake or stream is for number of persons residing in the vicinity to make con- tribution with which to defray the ex- penses of one of their number, who, proceeding to Rochester with proper vessels for transporting the fish, will receive such seed-fsh from Mir. Seth Green as in his judgment are best suited to the location which it is proposed to stock. Twenty dollars is, as a general thing, an ample fund to- cover all ex- pense of travel and transportation of the fish.

 The seed-fish may be obtained until the month of March, or until the ice at the distributing station becomes too weak to bear the men engaged in secur- ing the stock. In depositing the fish it is advisable to place them, if in lake, at distance from the outlet, or in the highest still water of stream.

 The black bass deposits it's spawn in May, the bed being watched by the fe- From three to six days, depending on quired to hatch the ova, after which the female broods her young, and keeps at distance such fish as may desire to lunch on her fry. At the end of twelve months these fry will each weigh a quarter of pound; at the close of the second year upward of a pound. The third spring they cast their spawn, and the lake or stream may be thrown open for fishing with hook or line, but never to the net, unless you desire to exter- minate the stock, which will otherwise yield never-failing supply of desirable food.

 During the year 1872 MT. Green de- livered no less than seventy thousand fish for seed purposes.