American Fisheries Society 175 



it this fall, "They are supplying us with eggs cheaper than 

 we can raise them ourselves and taking all the risk — what is 

 the use of our raising them?" 



I would strongly urge that where a man wants to start a 

 hatchery he should be given all assistance possible, even to 

 supplying him with the first lot of eggs. Then give him 

 an open market. Let him sell his product at all times, but 

 have his business regulated and inspected for the protection 

 of both sides. 



The Bureau of Fisheries has been buying yearling eggs, 

 more or less, for the last seven years at least, and as they 

 keep an accurate record of each lot received I would like 

 to hear how they compare with other eggs coming from 

 the same locality. 



These questions have been raised because I find dealers 

 selling for thirty-seven and a half cents a thousand and 

 others for one dollar and all the way between. The usual 

 claim on high prices is that they have old trout. 



My experience has been that where taken from the ponds 

 just as they came that sometimes the best lot of eggs came 

 from the younger fish. 



DISCUSSION 



President : This is a paper that strikes right home to every state 

 commission that is hatching brook trout and also to the Bureau of 

 Fisheries. I do not know of any state that does not buy more or less 

 of its eggs, and the Bureau has been buying eggs for years. It is an 

 important practical question in trout culture. As far as Michigan is 

 concerned, I will state that for the last five years the eggs we have 

 bought have been very largely from so-called yearling fish, that is, fish 

 coming two years old. I suppose, of course, that is what Mr. Cobb 

 means. We have had very good results, but there are a few dealers 

 in the east that charge a higher price for their eggs, because they select 

 their breeders ; these are almost certain to produce excellent results. 

 Once in a while, though not often, the yearling eggs will not turn 

 out quite as well. That is our experience. When dealers are careful 

 to select their breeders and take eggs only from fish three and four 

 years old, they are almost certain to be first class without exception. I 

 would like to hear the experience of others on this subject. My state 

 is quite interested in it. 



Mr. H. F. Hurlbut, East Freetown, Mass. : I commenced fish cul- 

 ture in 1888. I was a farmer and had made a success by selecting stock. 



