DycJic. — New State Hatchery for Kansas 179 



horse affairs, scattering their money all over, entailing considerable 

 unnecessary expense in construction besides an enormous annual outlay 

 for propagation and repairs at all these different points, instead of 

 centralizing it, as they have done, at one point. I think this is one of 

 the most sensible things the Kansas Legislature has done, outside per- 

 haps of providing for Professor Dyche as Fish Commissioner. 



In many of the smaller states of the East, not referring, however, 

 to the baby state — Rhode Island — so ably represented here, but in New 

 Hampshire, for instance, they had about seven hatcheries at one time. 

 Their appropriation was small and they dribbled it around so that 

 there was practically nothing for the operation of each station. They 

 could accomplish but little under such a handicap. Eventually the 

 commissioners secured the approval of the legislature to close a num- 

 ber of the hatcheries. With the same appropriation, they were then 

 enabled to secure a much larger output. I think Vermont, and proba- 

 bly some of the other states, have had a similar experience. State 

 hatcheries are recognized as being a political plum. Each legislator 

 thinks if he can bring home a fish hatchery for his section he has ful- 

 filled his duty toward his locality and his constituents. 



Mr. R. K. Robinson, White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. : I would like 

 to ask Professor Dyche if he considers an eight-inch pipe sufficiently 

 large for drawing down the ponds when he desires to draw them down 

 rather quickly? 



Professor Dyche: The drain pipes will connect with the deepest 

 part of each pond and any pond can be drained in from 24 to 36 hours. 



Mr. Robinson: Do you consider that quick enough? 



Professor Dyche : Yes. As a rule we do not care to run the water 

 out in such a short time, particularly if the pond has a good growth 

 of vegetation for the young fish to hide in. The fish must be looked 

 after. I have not seen many ponds at other hatcheries that could be 

 drained very quickly. All the water can be drained from these ponds. 

 Most of them have two supply pipes and can be filled much quicker 

 than emptied. 



