PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION" OF FOOD FISHES, 1922. 



21 



Pounds and cost per pound of fish food used during fiscal year 1922 — Con. 

 POND FISH-CULTURAL STATIONS. 



» No artificial foods used at the San Marcos (Tex.) station. 



HATCHERY FISH-CULTURAL NOTES. 



NEW METHOD OF PRESENTING FOOD TO TROUT FRY AND 



FINGERLINGS. 



Of interest in connection with the subject of suitable foods for fish 

 is the proper manner of supplying it. During 1922 a new method, 

 recoimnended by an employee of the New York Aquarium, was tried 

 at a number of the stations. It consists in placing the prepared food 

 in shallow vessels, clamshells were suggested, at convenient intervals 

 on the bottom of the trough or pond in which the young fish were 

 being held. Several of the bureau's superintendents, under whose 

 direction the test was made, were favorably impressed by the change, 

 while with others it found little favor. Some of the comments on it 

 are noted below : 



Wytheville (Va.) Station. — The dishes were filled twice a day with finely 

 chopped beef heart, aud the fish seemed to feed continuously, a group being 

 constantly over the containers. These fish made no better growth than did 

 those fed by the usual methods, tlie mortality was not lessened, and much food 

 was wasted. 



Manchester {Iowa) Station. — The idea possesses much merit, especially in 

 the feeding of sheep liver. The young fish learn to partake of the food readily, 

 and very little ib wasted. The idea has not proved an advantage in the feeding 

 of beef heart. 



White Sulphur Springs (W. Va.) Station. — The fish fed in the regular man- 

 ner appeared to be more uniform in size, and there was no perceptible differ- 

 ence as to the cleanliness of the troughs. 



In preparing food for fry and fingerling trout a number of the 

 superintendents are finding the use of a common eggbeater of prac- 

 tical value. The meat is prepared in the usual manner and placed in 

 a deep pan, with sufficient water to bring it to the proper consistency. 

 It is then thoroughly mixed with an eggbeater. This removes prac- 

 tically all the small particles of connective tissue and muscle which 

 ordinarily pass through the finest plate of the food chopper and* are 

 frequently troublesome in clogging the screens and fouling the 

 troughs. 



