604 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



and it is the intention to conduct the more fundamental investigations 

 here where adequate hiboratory facilities are available. The facilities 

 for pond work have been greatly increased during the past summer 

 by the construction of additional ponds with a total area of about 8 

 acres. Several of the old ponds have been repaired or remodeled 

 and a number of additional concrete pools built for experimental 

 work on the effect of fertilizers. Well water is now available for 

 several of the smaller ponds which will materially increase their 

 value for experimental work. 



Propagation of hJack ha><s. — The season of 1930 was a very suc- 

 cessful one, the number of fish produced being much larger than in 

 any previous year. The methods used in the propagation of bass 

 were much the same as last year with some modifications in details 

 which have been adopted as the result of experience. Golden shiners 

 {Notemigonus (yt^ysoleucas) were used for forage fish, the ponds being 

 stocked with adults early in the season at the rate of about 800 fish per 

 acre. Approximately the same number of shiners were used in both 

 brood and nursery ponds but those placed in the brood ponds averaged 

 considerably larger. 



During the spring and early summer most of the ponds were 

 fertilized with a mixture of etiual parts superphosphate and dry sheep 

 manure. A small amount of the mixture was applied every 10 days, 

 the total for the season being at the rate of 600 pounds per acre. 



Three i)onds were used as brood ponds, most of the fry being 

 removed to nursery ponds shortly after they rose from the nests. 

 Pond D 5, stocked with 7 male and 17 female largemouth bass, 

 produced an average of approximately 8,000 fry to each female. 

 These are the oldest bass at the station and average about 2 pounds 

 in weight. 



All new additions to the brood stock consist of fish which have been 

 reared in the hatchery ponds. That such fish are equal if not superior 

 to wild fish for this purpose is shown by the production of fry in 

 pond D 9, wdiich was stocked with forty-four 4-year-old fish (13 

 males, 21 females) that had been reared at the station. Although 

 these fish weighed slightly less than a pound, the average production 

 of fry was 7,134 per female. 



The total production of largemouth fingerlings during the season 

 of 1930 was 76,400, an average of approximately 9,670 per acre. 

 Several ponds averaged over 10.000 fingerlings per acre and in one 

 pond, slightly over i/j acre in area, the production was at the rate of 

 24,339 per acre. This pond was heavily overstocked with fry ; and 

 the fingerlings when removed were considerably smaller than those 

 from the other ponds, indicating a deficiency of food. It is probable 

 that not over 10,000 to 15,000 fingerlings per acre can be reared 

 successfully without resorting to artificial feeding. 



For the past three years a small stock of adult smallmouth bass 

 has been maintained at the station. In view of the fact that con- 

 ditions here are quite different from those usually thought to be 

 essential for the successful proi)agati()n of this species, the fish have 

 done renuirkably well, A pond slightly less than 1 acre in area, 

 which was used as a combined brood and rearing pond, showed a 

 fingerling production of 10,615 per acre. 



Propagation of crappie and hhugiU sunflsh. — The production of 

 fingerling crappie was relatively small, since only two small ponds 



