FISH CULTURE. 253 



has come into use a watering-pot with fine rose-jet for the purpose ot 

 sprinkling and thus cleaning the eggs when sediment has been deposited 

 upon them. The introduction of the watering-pot into the hatching- 

 house is due to Mr. Samuel Wilmot, superintendent of the Canadian 

 government hatching-establishment. It is most effective, however, 

 when the eggs are hatched out on trays. As the method of hatching 

 on trays is not generally known, and is not, we believe, mentioned in ac- 

 cessible books, it will be briefly described here, as used in the New York 

 State hatching-house, at Caledonia. The troughs are made fourteen 

 inches wide (inside) and six inches deep. Iron-wire clofeb, of ten or 

 twelve meshes to the inch, is stretched tightly upon wooden frames, 

 whose sides are one inch wide by one-half inch deep, the screen being a 

 little less than fourteen inches wide, in order to fit easily into the trough, 

 and about two feet long. One-quarter inch strips are also nailed under 

 the two long sides. The water is raised nearly to the top of the trough, 

 and four or five of these wire trays filled with eggs can bo placed on top 

 of one another. No filter is used, as more water is required than in the 

 usual plan, but as soon as sediment settles on the eggs, an empty trough 

 is cleaned and the trays of eggs are taken out one by one, sprinkled 

 with the watering-pot, and set over, bright and clean, into the clean 

 trough. The trough thus made empty is cleaned and filled from the 

 next, &c. The only advantage of this plan is that it economizes room 

 and enables the eggs to be more easily looked over. But for all pur- 

 poses of accurate hatching, the old gravel-beds are preferred. 



Uxjperiments to he made. — Accurate experiments should be made by 

 those having means and leisure in the following directions : 



As to weight of food given and increase in weight of fish in one year. 



As to kind of food which will give best results. 



As to their relative increase in weight at different periods of their 

 lives. 



As to the average age of a trout and average period of maturity. 



As to the best age for spawning purjioses, &c. 



Some eight years ago, we believe, Seth Green's was the onlj'- establish- 

 ment in the United States making a business of raising and selling fish- 

 stock. Now there are about a dozen widely-known farms, and some 

 hundreds of smaller ones which have attained only a local reputation. 

 Of these establishments, Pennsylvania has the most in number, although 

 not the largest, Massachusetts is probably next, while New York boasts 

 the largest and most complete. Aremarkable fact is the increase of trout- 

 breeding in the more western States. Ponds, &c., for this purpose are 

 now to be found in Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ken- 

 tucky, Tennessee, Minnesota, and California. In fact, there is scarcely a 

 State in the Union into which of late years we have not sent trout fry or 

 eggs. This increase of those practicing the art shows that the practice 

 must be successful to a degree wonderful for an art so new. Trout-culture 

 has now been in use for a number of years, and though there is still 

 very much to learn, yet great and successful progress has been made. 



A few words may be in place as to the present aspect of trout-farming 

 as a business. There are now, so far as a matter of this kind can be as- 

 certained, a great many paying establishments. At any rate, many have 

 gone into the-business and still remain in the business, which they would 

 not be likely to do unless they found it profitable. Their income is de- 

 rived from the sale of eggs, live fish for stock, and dead fish for market. 

 There has been such a demand for eggs and stock that it has hitherto 

 almost monopolized the attention of trout-l6reeders ; and, as it is the 



