82 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



obtained from an open head trough. After passing through the 

 first two troughs the water is carried into the waste ditch, and 

 from there into the ponds containing the aduU fish or directly into 

 the creek, as may be desired. These two hatching rooms have a 

 combined capacity for 3,540,000 eggs, 2,655,000 fry. or 590,000 

 fingerlings No. 1. 



Early in the year arrangements were made for the thorough 

 renovation of the bass ponds, which had become so filled with sedi- 

 ment and overrun with lilies as to have their usefulness greatly 

 interfered with. A road scraper and team were employed so far as 

 practicable to remove the sediment, which in man}' of the ponds was 

 from 12 to 14 inches thick. In the ponds having soft bottoms it 

 was found necessary to provide hard bottoms by first distributing 

 a layer of coarse stones over the soil and filling the interstices with 

 crushed rock. 



Cement catch basins or kettles were installed in several of the 

 ponds with the view of discontinuing the practice of drawing the 

 small fish out into a screened box with the muddy water and then 

 dipping them out with nets. This kettle, consisting of a cement 

 basin about 5 feet wide and 12 to 14 feet long, with wide walls ex- 

 tending approximately 12 inches above the pond bottom, is set just 

 ahead of the drain box. Wlien the water has been lowered to a point 

 level with the sides of the kettle all of it must then pass through 

 the sluice gate cut into the side of the kettle next to the drain box. 

 Following the water current, the little fish are naturally carried 

 into the upper end of the kettle, where the water is comparatively 

 clear. 



POND FISH-CULTURAL STATIONS. 



The output of the several stations composing this group was 

 seriously curtailed by unfavorable weather conditions during the 

 spawning season. Though unavoidable, this falling off is to be 

 regretted as under the most favorable circumstances it has been 

 found impossible to fully meet the demands for the so-called warm- 

 water pond fishes, this applying especially to the two species of black 

 bass. The aggregate output by species of these seven stations during 

 the year was as follows: 



Largemouth black bass 1, 478, 204 



Smallmoutb black bass 422. 200 



Sunfish 260, 888 



Grapple 0. 080 



Catfish 13,50.') 



Rock bass 19,610 



Warnionth bass 8, 900 



COLD SPRINGS (GA.) STATION" AND SUBSTATIONS. 

 [Charles A. Bulloch, Superintendent.] 



The principal species produced at this station is the largemouth 

 black bass and the pond space ordinarily devoted to the work is 

 large enough to accommodate 800 brood fish. The persistent efforts 

 made in advance of the spawning season to secure additional adult 

 bass from various sources in Georgia and Florida to compensate for 



