230 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



during- the period when they are hatching. The lower end of the 

 trough is an inch lower than the upper end, so as to give a gentle 

 motion to the waters which are introduced into them. The water 

 flows from a spigot about an inch in diameter, and through another 

 flannel screen, which is an additional protection against the 

 accumulation of sedimftut. • 



"The troughs stand in pairs, so that the workmen can readily 

 overlook them by passing on each side through a passageway left 

 for that purpose. They are divided up into compartments at 

 every two feet, and at first, when the eggs are being hatched, the 

 water running through them is only about half an inch deep. 

 The moment, however, the fish are out of the egg, screens are 

 introduced at each compartment, and a piece of board being put 

 across the lower end of the trough the water is raised to about 

 three inches in depth. 



" The State hatching-house has been greatly enlarged the past 

 season, and operations for the winter hatching of fish have been, 

 on an unprecedented scale, commenced. Millions of the spawn 

 of salmon-trout were taken there from the great lakes to be dis- 

 tributed through the State, or to be developed and then distrib- 

 uted. It is much easier and less expensive to distribute the ova 

 than the young fishes. The ova mny be transported anywhere 

 during the month of December, but no later. More attention 

 than heretofore has been paid to the cultivation of salmon-trout, 

 and less to that of white-fish, for it was found that objection was 

 made to the introduction of white-fish into many of our ponds, 

 on the ground that they have to be caught with a net, and that 

 while they are being taken, many other fish which could be caught 

 with a hook and line were destroyed at the same time. With 

 salmon-trout this is altogether different; and as they bite readily 

 at a hook, are a handsome game fish, and good for the table, it is 

 proposed hereafter to raise a far greater portion of them, and few, 

 if any, white-fish. 



" A full detailed account of the operations is appended, and the 

 commissioners pride thmselves upon not only building the cheap- 

 est and largest fish-breeding establishment in this country or in 

 the world, but also in building one that has in every way proved 

 an entire success, and which is capable of supplying all the public 

 waters in this State with all the salmon tribes of fish." 



So much for salmon. Now for shad ; and it is rather remarka- 

 ble that the whole process is dissimilar, so much so that it had 

 actually to be discovered over again. So entirely different are 

 the two processes that 1 cannot do better than describe the man- 

 ner in which the latter mode was discovered. The credit of this 

 is due to our country, and to Mr. Seth Green, of Rochester, New 

 York, who is the ablest pisciculturist to-day in the world, and 

 whose name will hereafter be written in the list of those who have 

 deserved well of the Republic. He offered his services to the 

 New England commissioners, and proceeding to the Connecticut 



