382 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



FISH CUr-TURE FOR PROFIT, 



By CHAS. E. III£ST£R. 



To grow fish for profit we select those kinds that are easily kept, which 

 will not require to he fed artificially, — such kinds, in fact, as will feed 

 themselves. Fortunately there are quite a number of varieties from 

 which to select ; but the common catfish now heads the list as a profit- 

 able market fish and water properly prepared and stocked with them 

 yields a larger revenue than several times its area of the best farm land. 

 Tliis fish does not require a large supply of water, but can be cultivated 

 in any quiet runway, or j)ond, and in water too warm for trout. It is 

 very hardy j has no diseases of any kind ; increases very rapidly and 

 grows fast ; is ready for market at a year old, and, having few small 

 bones, always finds a ready sale at fair prices. In fact the demand for 

 this sort of fish, a small pan-fish without bones, is practically unlimited. 

 They live on the larvse of insects and on the aquatic vegetation in the 

 lionds and runways, and do not require any other food. jSTo special 

 breeding arrangements are required for them, and very little attention 

 in anyway, as compared with other varieties of fish. A peat soil is 

 best, and will produce more fish to the acre than any other. Last winter 

 from a single runway about a hundred yards long, in soil of this kind, 

 nearly 20 bushels of marketable fish were taken, that sold for over a 

 hundred dollars, and more than 50,000 small fry, in all stages of growth, 

 remain in the waters. 



An estimate of the value of an acre of pond surface may be made as 

 follows : On proper soil 10 pounds weight of fish ma;^ be kept in less 

 than 100 square feet of water, and the supply of food will be adequate; 

 hence, an acre will afford over 42,000 feet of water, sufficient in capacity 

 for more than 4,200 pounds of fish. This will give a supply of 82 pounds 

 weekly. Such fish as may be grown in a pond sell at wholesale by 

 the ton for 10 cents a i)ound, making an annual sui)iily worth $840. 



In connection with fish farming on level lands, fruit-growing and 

 poultry ftirming can be carried on at the same time to good advantage. 

 Parallel runways are cut through all the land it is desired to operate. 

 The soil that is thrown out forms ridges or lauds between the runways, 

 about 2 feet above the level of the water, and on these lands plum and 

 quince trees are closely planted. The curculio and other insects which 

 make these high-priced fruits impracticable on the upland, here have no 

 chance to work, and the result is perfect fruit. Experiments made dur- 

 ing the past three years on a tract of land in Pennsylvania have shown 

 a result on which we can base the following estimates : 



