FISH PONDS ON FARMS, 27 
waters might prove detrimental to the important salmon and trout 
fisheries of the Pacific coast. 
Basses, crappie, and sunfishes are propagated at 13 of the Bureau’s 
stations, ranging in location from Vermont to South Carolina and 
from Texas to Iowa. However, the facilities at these stations are 
entirely inadequate to fill the rapidly growing demands, and the 
Bureati'‘has for some years supplemented its supplies by collecting 
young fish of the species named from the overflow waters of certain 
rivers in the Mississippi Valley, where they are indigenous. 
No source of supply can be relied upon. A sudden change in tem- 
perature during the spawning season may cause a year’s failure at an 
important pond-culture station, and, unfortunately, this critical 
period occurs at a time when sudden climatic changes are natural. 
The success attained in collecting young fish from overflow waters 
depends upon favorable water stages, not only at spawning time but 
throughout the collecting season; as widely varying water stages are 
encountered from week to week and from year to year, the results 
of a season’s work can not be foretold with any degree of certainty. 
It is the policy of the Bureau to fill applications, so far as practi- 
cable, in the order of their receipt, and the allotments are as liberal 
as circumstances will permit. Aside from the uncertainty as to the 
stock of fish available for distribution, there are other factors govern- 
ing the size of allotments and the time of delivery that are not gen- 
erally understood. 
On account of the greater value of fingerlings than fry for stock- 
ing purposes and the proportionate difficulty and expense of produc- 
ing the larger fish, it is of course impossible to supply them except in 
comparatively limited numbers. It has been estimated that 350 fish 
1 inch long are of more value than 1,000 fry, and that 25 fish 6 inches 
long are the equivalent of 100 only half as long. This is approxi- 
mately the ratio of decrease experienced in rearing fingerling fish at 
the Bureau’s stations, and allotments to applicants are governed 
accordingly. 
The distribution operations of the Bureau of Fisheries close with 
the fiscal year ending June 380. At the opening of the new fiscal year 
all applications on hand are listed and arrangements are made to 
supply the fish assigned thereon before the following winter so far as 
the stock available will permit. Applications received after the 
opening of the fiscal year can not be filled in the same calendar year. 
inless there happens to be a surplus stock after deliveries have been 
made on all listed applications. 
There are two distinct periods of distribution—one of fry in 
the late spring months, the shipments being forwarded in charge of 
messengers direct from the stations where the fish are propagated, 
and the other by the Bureau’s cars, which extends from early in July 
