PEOPAGATIOX AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1924 421 



tinued to the close of the fiscal year. In the conduct of this work 

 the more distant shipments were made in carload lots, and the station 

 truck was utilized to make deliveries within a reasonable distance of 

 Nashua. 



A consignment of 4,000,000 eyed pike-perch eggs was received on 

 May 15 from the Swan ton (Vt.) substation. During the incubation 

 of these eggs, and especially at night, when the fry came out faster 

 than at any other time, an attendant was constantly employed in 

 keeping the screens clear to prevent the overflow of the troughs. 



An employee detailed to collect small-mouth bass fry in Lake Sun- 

 apee for the distribution work observed a considerable number of nests 

 of eggs in the lake in early June, but a large proportion of them was 

 destroyed. The cause of this can not be definitely stated, but the 

 indications were that numbers of brood fish were being caught by an- 

 glers. Windy weather greatly interfered with the collections and 

 resulted in the loss of many irj. The most difficult problem is to 

 hold them successfully until they can be shipped. When held in the 

 lake in wire cloth retainers, man}^ die within 24 hours, and no better 

 success has been attained by the use of hatching troughs for the 

 purpose. 



Fish- cultural work on an efficient basis is practically an impossi- 

 bility at the Nashua station, owing to its dilapidated condition. Some 

 of the buildings and most of the equipment, including the subsidiary 

 hatchery, the supply flume leading to it, and the hatching-trough 

 system, are in such an advanced stage of decay that it is considered 

 hazardous for the station to acquire a valuable stock of eggs. In the 

 course of last season's operations the flume had to be propped in 

 several places to hold it in position. 



Early in the year the station employees were occupied in complet- 

 ing the repairs undertaken last year on the rearing-pond system. 

 The ponds are now so arranged that the water Supply flows through- 

 out tlie entire series, whereas only two could be supplied as originally 

 constructed. These repairs were essentially of a temporary character, 

 as it will be necessary, before any permanent construction is under- 

 taken, to replace the old plank sides of the entire series of ponds with 

 new material. 



COMBINATION TROUT AND POND STATIONS 



The stations in this group are located at Erwin, Tenn. ; Manchester, 

 Iowa; Neosho, Mo.; White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. ; and Wytheville, 

 Va. Various species of trout and such pondfishes as the black basses, 

 crappies, and sunfishes are propagated at this group. As brood fish 

 of the different species are always maintained and fish-cultural work 

 in some of its phases is under way at all times, these stations are a 

 som'ce of attraction to the general public. 



ERWIN (TENN.) STATION 

 [A. G. Keesecker, Superintendent] 



Fish-cultural work at this point was addressed to the rainbow 

 trout, brook trout. Loch Leven trout, steelhead salmon, large-mouth 

 black bass, small-mouth black bass, rock bass, and sunfish. The 

 results achieved were generally satisfactory and compare favorably 

 with similar work in past years. 



