218 WHOLESALE BREEDING 



Ontario, and again as far south as Florida. What is needed is a climate 

 that is settled and balmy by May 15th and in which hard frost holds off 

 until November 1. Also where the days are not excessively hot nor the 

 nights cooler than say 60 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. It will there- 

 fore be seen that the actual climate of the spot is more to be considered 

 than geographical location. There are many places where one side of 

 a mountain range is satisfactory, yet on the other, only a few miles away, 

 conditions are not at all favorable. 



Goldfish need a long season and moderate warmth for size develop- 

 ment. They also should have a winter rest period which is produced 

 by moderate cold. The reaction from this winter lethargy stimulates 

 them to strong breeding in the spring. 



Soil. For economical construction and maintenance of large gold- 

 fish ponds there should be a soil capable of holding water with little loss 

 by seepage. A clay bottom is almost essential. 



Some regions are unsuited because the soil is either too acid or too 

 alkaline. However, this point can best be considered under the next head- 

 ing, for the state of the soil in this respect is pretty sure to be shared 

 in by the quality of the 



Water. For goldfish culture water should be nearly neutral or 

 slightly impregnated with lime. Limestone water produces fish with good 

 color and firm flesh that helps them withstand the hazards of shipping. 

 In the 1 testing sets now so generally in use the reading should be between 

 7. and 7.6. If not in possession of one of these sets, the test can be made 

 either by a private chemist or the agricultural department of the state. In 

 fact state and governmental departments are splendidly organized for 

 helping the fish farmer in most of his problems. They are always keen 

 and prompt to do everything possible. Correspondence with the Bureau 

 of Fisheries at Washington, D. C, receives personal and careful attention, 

 whether the farmer is working with goldfish or food-fish. So far as we 

 know, the same can be said of the Departments of Agriculture in the 

 different states. If the present chapter did no more than advise the 

 reader where this help may be had, it would have served a good purpose. 



Spring water is usually satisfactory and has two great advantages. 

 It keeps warm enough over winter for the storage of surplus fish stock 

 and eliminates the troubles caused by wild fish getting into the goldfish 

 ponds where water is taken from streams. The difficulty about spring 

 water usually is that there is not enough of it ! A fish farm takes quite 

 a quantity of water, and one of the most important considerations is 

 that there be an unfailing, year-round supply. Water as it comes from 

 the spring, especially in a limestone country, is likely to be suited to 

 maintaining fish life, but too cool for putting growth on goldfish. There- 



