330 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



enters, uud which, by various subdivisions, has been transformed into 

 a meandering ditch, which serves for hatching the eggs and raising 

 the young fish. This ditch is only from 12 to 15 inches broad, and 

 its sides are lined with tuT-f. Its fall varies ', here and there it widens 

 out into deeper, pond-like places, and it is covered with a dense growth 

 of cresses and other plants which thrive in cold water. Its bottom is 

 covered with fine gravel ; in some places it is muddy, and, by placing 

 in it pieces of clayey slate, numerous hiding-places for the small fish 

 have been provided. The two other basins have a gravelly bottom, 

 occasionally mixed with mud, of which, as I think, the trout is very fond. 

 In these basins numerous hiding-places have also been provided, as well 

 as small hillocks, with diminutive caverns and tunnels of pieces of lime- 

 stone. All around the edges of the basins there are banks of moss and 

 turf, whose roots and blades reach into the water, and thereby serve to 

 increase the number of worms, larvae, &c. While the water in these 

 two basins is always kept at a depth of from 80 to 100 centimeters [about 

 32 to 40 inches], the depth of water in the first basin or ditch is never 

 more than from 3 to 5 centimeters [li to 2 inches] ; thereby a lively cur- 

 rent is produced, which is an indispensable condition for feeding the 

 young fish, for the food intended for fish of that age should be moved 

 along by the current, so as to make it appear alive. If necessary the 

 current in the ditch, as well as the depth of water in the basins, can be 

 increased or diminished. 



As I live in a very flat country without forests or brooks, the creation 

 of a trout-hatchery became the subject of many discussions and dis- 

 couraging remarks. Like Noah, when he built his ark, I had to bear 

 many a sneer; but the results have changed all this, and the mockers 

 are now all on my side. I have once more furnished the proof that 

 much can be done with little water, if it is only good, for I have suc- 

 ceeded in raising in my small basins or ditches about five hundred trout, 

 which I received as young fry from Einsiedel during last March. I put 

 out one thousand, but one hundred soon perished through a grave mis- 

 take, and the other four hundred were caught by kingfishers and wag- 

 tails. These fry grew, during seven months, to be fish measuring from 

 12 to 18 centimeters [about 5 to 7 inches], and weighing as many grams 

 [about half an ounce]. 1 also succeeded in feeding several hundred 

 two and three-year-old trout so as to make them fine food-fish, some 

 of which weighed 1?} kilograms [3^ pounds]. I now commence to hatch 

 several thousand eggs of salmonoids and hybrids in simple wooden 

 boxes, whose inside has been charred, and I have no doubt that I shall 

 succeed in that experiment as well as in raising young fish in inclosed 

 basins, a fact which so far does not seem to be generally credited. 



As regards the method emi)loyed in managing my little hatching and 

 raising establishment I would state the following : As tood for young fry, 

 I have successfully employed fresh white cheese, meat chopped fine, 

 and especially the young of amj^hipods and other small aquatic ani- 



