1176 17. S. BUREAU OP FISHERIES 



POND FISH STATIONS 



The strictly pond fish hatcheries are located in the South and 

 Southwest. The production of fish at a unit of this character is 

 strictly dependent upon the water acreage, and every effort is 

 being made to increase this water acreage while at the same time 

 applying the methods of intensive fish culture to secure an aug- 

 mented production of fish from the existing acreage. Owing to 

 the fact that in most cases topographical conditions or a shortage 

 of water supply definitely circumscribe the possibilities of expan- 

 sion and make it necessary to establish substations, additional fa- 

 cilities must be created by the development of projects such as the 

 Valdosta (Ga.) and Fort Worth (Tex.) auxiliaries. 



COLD SPRING (GA.) STATION AND SUBSTATIONS 

 [Charles A. Bullock, Superintendent] 



The dimensions of one large pond were increased about one-eighth, the 

 shallow side of another was deepened to i>ermit of a 1-foot lowering of the 

 water level at overflow, and all new banks were seeded with grass. The 

 swampy basin between Cold Spring and the highway was filled in to a depth 

 of from 2 to 3 feet, and shade trees set out to form a small park. One-half 

 the fish-culturist's cottage was reshingled. With the exception of three, 

 which were used for the propagation of bluegill, bream, and speckled catfish, 

 all station ponds were stocked during the spring with largemouth black 

 bass. During April, May, and June all ponds were fertilized, at intervals 

 of two weeks, with a mixture of superphosphate; but the results of such 

 treatment did not appear to be beneficial. The output of the station ponds 

 for the year consisted of 426,600 bass, 73,835 bream, and 3,825 catfish. 



Harris Ponds {Ga.) substation. — These ponds were stocked with small 

 brood bream in April, 1929. No artificial food was given the fish until July 

 1, after wliich they were fed daily until October on a mixture of fish meal 

 and shorts. Shortly after the 1st of October the ponds were drawn down 

 and all the fish transferred to the Cold Spring station. From this point the 

 young ones, amounting to 50,000, were distributed. 



Valdosta (Ga.) substation. — Development work was continued, and a second 

 well, with a 16-inch casing was drilled. By means of the two wells Grassy 

 Pond (between 200 and 300 acres in area) was drained by December. About 

 3,000 large bass were held in a pool of about IVo acres for a future brood stock, 

 with provision made for their escape when the pond refills to a point where 

 it submerges the pool. All suitable bream were placed in Lot Pond (about 40 

 acres in area) as a future brood stock. Fifteen thousand bream fingerlings 

 No. 2, 1,125 bass fingerlings No. 5, and 15,000 warmouth bass fingerlings No. 5 

 were given for the stocking of local waters, and about 2 tons of suckers and 

 warmouth bass were carried away in sacks for use as food. Forty large alli- 

 gators, some nearly 8 feet long, were shot in Grassy Pond during the year. 



EDENTON (N. C. ) STATION 

 [W. S. Vincent, Superintendent] 



Roach and fresh-water shrimp were introduced into the station ponds as a 

 source of food supply, and the pond bottoms were fertilized. The negligible 

 results attained with crappie having demonstrated the futility of further 

 efforts with that species under present conditions, the pond formerly devoted 

 to that work was used for bass culture. The production of bass fry ex- 

 ceeded all previous efforts by about 50 per cent and very favorable weather 

 during the collecting period contributed to the good results. Auto trucks 

 were again used to advantage in making the distributions. An attempt made 

 to rear bass to fingerling size was not sufficiently productive to be considered 

 a success. The poor results were probably due to a scarcity of protective 

 aquatic vegetation. Among the more important of the minor improvements 



