It ndf^ht at first glance be surprising, that the trout growers today, especially 

 prefer to raise large fish, which in addition are somewhat lower in price, and that 

 the tendency in this direction has become ever stronger. This is partly for the reason 

 that the single fish, as such, represents a particularly high value in the trout rear- 

 ing. The production of fin^erlings is very difficult on account of the many brood 

 diseases and enemies. The quarter pound trout, however, can be grown to essentially 

 heavy trout easily, quickly and with hardly any losses, while one to one and a half 

 years are required for the raising of these fish. Expensive brood fodder and Jiigh 

 individual losses must be taken into account. In accordance vrLth what has been stated 

 earlier, I maintain it is not out of the question that the food quotient is more 

 favorable in that kind of fishes tlian with smaller gradings, so that it would signify 

 a waste for the fish grower if he did not evaluate these favorable possibilities. 

 Unfortunately, as in so many fields of fish growing, exact experiences are not available. 



Divisional management in trout rearing. Just like in the carp pond industry, is an 

 optional part of the larger industry. Even more than in the carp growing, its from is 

 conditioned by the multiplicity of local conditions. 



3. Size and Division of Pond Surfaces of Trout Fisheries . 



The entire pond surface of a single trout fishery in full operation is real small 

 in comparison with a carp fishery, vriiich fact has been repeatedly emphasized. The 

 largest German and European Trout Fishery in Schnede has only 37 acres (15 hectars) of 

 pond surface: In the Secondary Mountain Range where good water conditions and favorable 

 locations are available, there are many fisheries which possess scant 1 hectar (2,i acres) 

 of pond surfaces, in which 50 and more double hundredweights of trout are produced and 

 which very y;ell support the proprietor and his family. Trout growing, as regards evalu- 

 ation of surface, far surpasses the most intensive remaining agricultural industries like 

 poultr;/' farms, more intensive hog growing, etc. Hardly any other agricultural industry 

 brings such high gross jrields per hectar' surface as does trout grovrLng. It has there- 

 fore been justl;/' designated as a highly industrial and social task to maintain and 

 advance Germany in her prosperity by continually improving the management of these trout 

 growing industries. Naturally it is always to be considered that the intensive pro- 

 duction of food trout, similarly to goose masting, presents a refinement industry which 

 is indeed bound to the soil whose yields are in part natural yields but for the greater 

 pari: are fodder yields. The required fodder is produced on foreign soil. 



Since trout growing operates more continuously than carp gracing and the conmerce in 

 food trout is not seasonal like carp selling, either in a technical operative sense or 

 relative to commercial customs, the result is that trout growing has not developed an 

 outspoken biennial rotation. Since the height of stock density is permitted to varj' 

 between pretty vri.de limits, the ratio of the ponds for growing of fingerlings to the 

 masting ponds need not be definite. The surface proportion of good brood ponds to the 

 total surface must naturally not be measured too closely. Obviously, it is variable 

 locally according to the fingerling business and the water conditions. V'ith a normal 

 full management without a larger fingerling sale it should comprise at least 30 to 50 

 percent of the total surface as growing and masting ponds (that is, without trout-spawning 

 ponds). Production of fingerlings can, however, be very considerable and can become 

 almost the main thing. It is stated that Prussia alone produces about 1 million finger- 

 lings annually for the stocking of natural waters. In pond fisheries, which participate 

 in this production, the ratio of pond surfaces naturally must be shifted. 



So much for the size and division of the pond surface of full managements of trout 

 growing, YJith partial or specialty management such manifold conditions can occur that 

 it is impossible to make universally valid statements. On the applicability of trout in 

 the small-pond industry, vdll be discussed in a later chapter. 



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