DISCUSSIOX OX BASS EESUMED. 



Mr. Dean : 1 wish to refer to one or two points on this sub- 

 ject. We were talking about places where bass were hatched 

 under good natural conditions. Both stations talked about the 

 most have an immense growth of vegetation in their ponds ; and 

 I would like to know how to produce that growth. When ii 

 does not grow naturally what cause is there for it? There is a 

 •question there I have not been able to solve so far, and on that 

 question hinges the question of natural food largely, and also 

 the question of producing bass. I do not believe there is any 

 trouble about producing bass if you have the natural food antl 

 the moss, but if you do not have those you cannot get very many 

 bass unless you put them out as fry. Is it a question of soil, 

 water, temperature or what ? Mr. Leary says he hauls his ponds 

 down in winter and leaves them dry from six to ten weeks ; Mr. 

 Lydell says he never hauls his pond down, and both claim to 

 have an immense crop of vegetation. Some years we have plenty 

 and other years apparently under the same conditions tliere is 

 absolutely no vegetation. 



Mr. Titcomb : Do you haul your pond down ? 



A. Occasionally. 



Q. Do you leave it bare in the winter? 



A. Sometimes, not always. 



(}. Does not that kill your vegetation? 



Mr. Clark : What is your theory in regard to the matter ? 



Mr. Dean : I have had so many theories and had them upset 

 that I do not know as I have any now. 



Mr. Titcomb: Have you had this lack of vegetation on the 

 jears following that when you did not draw the pond down. 



Mr. Dean : After we draw the pond down for repairs vegeta- 

 tion does not always come up the first season, but the next year 

 we get a good crop nearly every time. This year, for instance, 

 ■one pond was full of vegetation in the spring and we hauled it 

 down to take out the breeders and any other fish we did not want 

 there. We mowed the vegetation in order not to disturli tlie 

 TOots, and afterward filled up the pond, and it was filk'd up ar- 

 ias 



