﻿176 
  REPORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  raising 
  of 
  bass 
  in 
  ponds 
  depends 
  very 
  largely 
  on 
  frequent 
  and 
  careful 
  

   sorting, 
  and 
  a 
  fish 
  that 
  persists 
  in 
  efforts 
  to 
  devour 
  his 
  companions 
  

   should 
  be 
  either 
  liberated 
  or 
  destroyed. 
  

  

  TRANSFER 
  OF 
  FRY 
  FROM 
  HATCHING-PONDS. 
  

  

  In 
  transferring 
  the 
  fry 
  to 
  troughs 
  or 
  other 
  ponds 
  two 
  nets 
  of 
  cheese- 
  

   cloth 
  are 
  required. 
  The 
  main 
  one 
  is 
  about 
  30 
  inches 
  square, 
  supported 
  

   by 
  ribs 
  from 
  above; 
  to 
  the 
  center 
  .of 
  the 
  ribs 
  a 
  handle 
  is 
  attached, 
  so 
  

   that 
  the 
  net 
  can 
  be 
  used 
  5 
  or 
  G 
  feet 
  from 
  the 
  shore; 
  the 
  net 
  is 
  made 
  to 
  

   sag 
  to 
  an 
  open 
  pocket 
  in 
  the 
  center, 
  which 
  can 
  be 
  closed 
  and 
  tied 
  with 
  a 
  

   drawstring. 
  The 
  second 
  net 
  is 
  easily 
  made 
  from 
  an 
  ordinary 
  landing- 
  

   net 
  by 
  replacing 
  the 
  netting 
  with 
  cheese-cloth. 
  This 
  will 
  be 
  useful 
  in 
  

   catching 
  the 
  fry 
  that 
  escape 
  from 
  the 
  larger 
  net. 
  The 
  transfer 
  is 
  made 
  in 
  

   tubs 
  filled 
  with 
  water 
  from 
  the 
  spawning 
  pond 
  in 
  order 
  to 
  preserve 
  the 
  

   same 
  temperature 
  as 
  nearly 
  as 
  ])ossible. 
  Netting 
  is 
  done 
  in 
  the 
  early 
  

   morning, 
  as 
  the 
  shallow 
  waters 
  of 
  the 
  pond 
  become 
  cool 
  during 
  the 
  night 
  

   aiul 
  the 
  temperatures 
  of 
  the 
  different 
  wDters 
  are 
  more 
  nearly 
  equal. 
  

  

  The 
  process 
  of 
  netting 
  requires 
  patience 
  and 
  a 
  degree 
  of 
  skill 
  which 
  

   comes 
  with 
  practice. 
  The 
  operator 
  stands 
  on 
  the 
  bank 
  and 
  introduces 
  

   the 
  net 
  with 
  a 
  gentle 
  and 
  scarcely 
  perceptible 
  side 
  movement 
  under 
  

   the 
  school 
  and 
  cautiously 
  lifts 
  it 
  out, 
  and, 
  when 
  the 
  net 
  is 
  clear 
  of 
  

   the 
  water, 
  turns 
  with 
  a 
  quick 
  motion 
  and 
  brings 
  it 
  over 
  the 
  tub, 
  so 
  that 
  

   the 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  net 
  holding 
  water 
  and 
  fish 
  can 
  be 
  readily 
  submerged 
  

   in 
  the 
  tub. 
  An 
  assistant 
  stands 
  near 
  the 
  tub 
  to 
  catch 
  the 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  

   net 
  and 
  help 
  in 
  the 
  latter 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  oi)eration. 
  While 
  the 
  operator 
  

   holds 
  the 
  rod 
  to 
  which 
  the 
  frame 
  of 
  the 
  net 
  is 
  attached, 
  the 
  assistant 
  

   slips 
  his 
  hands 
  into 
  the 
  tub 
  and 
  unties 
  the 
  drawstring 
  of 
  the 
  net 
  pocket, 
  

   and 
  the 
  net 
  is 
  then 
  gently 
  lifted 
  out 
  of 
  the 
  tub. 
  A 
  bucket 
  of 
  water 
  from 
  

   the 
  pond, 
  and 
  a 
  dipper, 
  are 
  kept 
  at 
  hand 
  to 
  wash 
  any 
  of 
  the 
  fry 
  into 
  

   the 
  tub 
  that 
  may 
  stick 
  to 
  the 
  cheese-cloth. 
  The 
  fry 
  should 
  never 
  be 
  

   freed 
  from 
  the 
  net 
  by 
  the 
  use 
  of 
  a 
  feather 
  or 
  by 
  shaking. 
  

  

  As 
  soon 
  as 
  the 
  collected 
  fry 
  are 
  in 
  the 
  vessels 
  they 
  are 
  carried 
  to 
  the 
  

   troughs 
  or 
  pools, 
  when 
  the 
  temperature 
  of 
  the 
  water 
  in 
  the 
  bucket 
  

   or 
  cans 
  is 
  compared 
  with 
  that 
  flowing 
  through 
  the 
  troughs. 
  An 
  

   experienced 
  workman 
  can 
  tell 
  by 
  the 
  sense 
  of 
  touch 
  whether 
  there 
  is 
  

   a 
  material 
  difference 
  in 
  the 
  temperature, 
  and 
  can 
  take 
  the 
  steps 
  toward 
  

   equalizing 
  it. 
  Should 
  there 
  be 
  a 
  difference 
  of 
  3° 
  or 
  more, 
  it 
  must 
  

   be 
  corrected. 
  If 
  a 
  vessel 
  is 
  not 
  crowded, 
  an 
  effective, 
  though 
  slow, 
  ^ 
  

   method 
  of 
  equalizing 
  the 
  temperature 
  is 
  to 
  set 
  or 
  suspend 
  the 
  vessel 
  

   in 
  the 
  water 
  flowing 
  through 
  the 
  pool 
  or 
  trough. 
  If 
  the 
  water 
  in 
  the 
  

   vessel 
  is 
  warm 
  and 
  the 
  time 
  short, 
  in 
  addition 
  to 
  setting 
  the 
  vessel 
  in 
  the 
  

   trough, 
  a 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  water 
  may 
  be 
  bailed 
  from 
  the 
  vessel 
  and 
  replaced 
  

   with 
  fresh 
  colder 
  water. 
  This 
  operation 
  is 
  known 
  among 
  fish-cultnrists 
  

   as 
  "tempering;" 
  it 
  requires 
  care, 
  good 
  judgment, 
  and 
  patience. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  well 
  to 
  have 
  several 
  large 
  buckets 
  made 
  with 
  "windows," 
  that 
  

   is, 
  a 
  small 
  screen 
  of 
  perforated 
  metal 
  in 
  one 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  bucket 
  near 
  the 
  

  

  