Dychc. — New State Hatchery for Kansas 163 



no cut will have to be made deeper than one and 

 one-half feet. The Ninnescah River (more properly speak- 

 ing- a creek), which will supply this pipe and the hatchery 

 with water, has its origin in springs about 8 miles west of 

 the hatchery — no large spring, but a great many small ones. 

 Dry weather does not seem to affect this stream. It runs 

 water enough to supply three or four pipe lines such as the 

 one that will feed the hatchery ponds. 



The 21 -inch pipe carries the water into a receiving pond 

 from which five distinct streams of water will flow by a 

 gravity run through the 100 or more ponds of the hatchery. 



In selecting a site for a hatchery to raise bass, crappie, 

 sunfish, and catfish we gave our especial attention to the 

 possibilities of a food supply for both old and young fish. 

 Water that runs 12 to 15 miles (measured as the river runs ) 

 through patches of plants, little pools, swampy places, and 

 is finally collected in a seven acre shallow lake, from which 

 it is delivered to the hatchery ponds, must of necessity be 

 pretty well supplied with food material for fish, both young 

 and old. 



The Ninnescah River for five miles above the hatchery 

 grounds is well supplied with vegetation, including water- 

 cress and various kinds of water plants that grow in good, 

 clear water. This river is also well stocked with small fish, 

 particularly minnows, of which there are great schools. 

 Insect, crustacean and small plant life is also abundant. 



We have made something of a study of the food habit ^ 

 of the bass. One thing is sure, they must have a good and 

 plentiful supply of food. One hundred spawning bass in a 

 two-acre pond will devour somewhere (according to ex- 

 periments) from three to five times their own weight in food 

 each year, and this food is taken alive. It is hard to keep 

 and breed any kind of small fish, such as minnows and cray- 

 fish, in ponds stocked with bass. The bass soon eat up the 

 stock supply. About fourteen bushels (measured in water) 

 of tadpoles (of the large green bull frog variety) were 

 placed in one pond. They did good service, The bass would 



