Dyche. — Possibilities of an Acre Pond 75 



yearling goldfish in one pond now and it takes 20 to 30 pounds of duck- 

 weed per day to feed them. The goldfish are to serve as food for 

 spawning bass this winter. The more vegetation we have in the ponds, 

 the more fish we get, other things being equal. 



Mr. Titcomb: Does that restrict cannibalism, and do the fish get 

 full size? 



Prof. Dycuk: Yes and no. On the vegetation, in the warm water, 

 at 84. to 88 degrees all summer long, are snails and other forms of 

 animal life of various kinds. The little fish feed in this vegetation. 

 The bass grow large and fine. We got fish out of the acre pond to 

 stock nearly the whole series of ponds. This pond was a very great 

 surprise to me and the men working on the hatchery, as well as to 

 everyone else, because we got two or three times as many fish as we 

 expected to get and we were expecting a good crop. 



Mr. Titcomb: What was the average depth? 



Prof. Dyche: I cannot say. It is six feet in the deepest place in 

 winter and five and a half in summer. Around the shore it is about 

 fifteen inches deep and slopes down gradually. 



Mr. Titcomb: Would you expect the individual who owned a fish 

 tank to stock it in any such way? Would you recommend the same 

 ▼arieties? 



Prof. Dyche: I do not see why a great many farmers who own 

 acre ponds should not have a supply of fish in the second or third 

 year if they know how to take care of a pond and have plenty of vege- 

 tation in it. I generally give them goldfish as a food fish for other 

 fish. They usually want black bass and nothing else. I give them what 

 they ought to have rather than what they want. 



Mr. Bower: W^hat is the amount of infall in this pond and what 

 is the amount of water in the spring? 



Prof. Dyche: There are two 4-inch iron pipes which convey the 

 overflow from two other ponds to keep it at standard height. The pond 

 was practically stagnant* as are most of the ponds in Kansas. Not- 

 withstanding the fact that the carp and goldfish were in there the water 

 was usually clear, except in spots 40 to 50 feet across where the water 

 was sometimes roily. 



Mr. Titcomb: Did you have crawfish? 



Prof. Dyche: We have them in all the ponds, but if they get too 

 numerous we stock with black bass, which is the only cure I have for 

 them. 



Prof. Reighard, of Michigan : What were your expenses and have 

 you figured the annual profit per acre, so as to compare it with what 

 it is possible to make on an acre of land? 



Prof. Dyche: We were running the hatchery for the State and 

 managed this pond in connection with others. Is^o account was kept 

 except of food that we fed the fish in the spring and during part of 

 the summer when we thought food was needed. We never figured out 

 the expense or profit in any way. Our main object was to see how 

 many and what sized fish we could produce in a given length of time. 



'Meaning that there was no overflow, but the water was clear and 

 good. 



