126 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



none to spawn the first year, but nearly all spawn the second. The 

 eggs are nearly colorless when separate, but if massed together 

 are of a beautiful straw color, sometimes of a golden hue. 



The spawning season begins in New England from the 13th to 

 15th of October. The temperature and state of the water has 

 much to do with the ripening of the fish. A warm rain on Octo- 

 ber 14th will be sure to ripen some fish. If the fish are in pure 

 spring water they will spawn much later than the date given. 



Raceways are usually made at the upper end of the pond, about 

 three feet wide and six inches deep, with some gravel on the bottom. 

 As the spawning season approaches the races are covered by loose 

 boards, and the trout work up the stream. In their native brooks 

 the trout, after choosing each a partner, work their way into either 

 spring or shallow water, perfectly absorbed in each other's com- 

 pany. A crowd of other fish follow, the same as the Mrs. Grundys 

 of humanity watch the real and prospective; actuated no doubt 

 by the same motives, curiosity and a hope that something will 

 turn up in their favor. The spawning ground decided upon, the 

 male trout keeps the gossips and fortune seekers at a distance, 

 while the female scoops out a little nest in the gravel. On this 

 nest she emits her eggs, the male lying by her side and impregna- 

 ting them with his milt. No male trout, however large, will un- 

 dertake to drive him from her. After the eggs are laid the pair 

 cover them with the gravel, eat up a few, linger around the nest a 

 few days, and then break up housekeeping for the season. Their 

 friends then dig up and eat all they can find of the eggs, staying 

 in the locality as long as an egg can be found. After freshets 

 and frosts, if any are left they may hatch out and wriggle out of 

 their winter home and take their chances in this busy world. All 

 this is the natural way of spawning. 



The trout- breeder breaks up the meeting in his races by drawing 

 a net up through, and spawners, and gossips, and fortune seekers, 

 are all dumped into a pail or tub together. The ripe females are 

 separated from the rest, also two or three males. He then takes 

 in his hands a ripe female fish, flirts the water from her; bending 

 her body a little backward he presses his finger along the abdomen 

 of the fish, using very little force, and the eggs flow into an empty 

 pan or basin placed to receive them. The fish is dropped into 

 another pail. A male is treated in like manner. The milt and 

 eggs are gently tilted or shaken together in the pan; one or two 



