American Fisheries Society 429 



nutritive elements, may easily support 200 perch per hectare. 

 But we may keep in view the fact that in some regions the 

 perch is less salable than the pike at a remunerative price. 

 The fish culturist should inform himself on this subject in 

 the region where he is at work before deciding between 

 the two species. — Raveret-Wattel, in "L'Acclimatation" 

 (Paris) . 



THE ARTIFICIAL CULTURE AND HATCHING OF PIKE 



I have read much about the artificial hatching of pike, 

 but only in brief paragraphs, for the most part unintelligible 

 to a layman. In the following statement I will endeavor 

 to inform the laity about my experience in the hatching and 

 rearing of pike; for with the steadily growing decrease of 

 the pike and the even more rapid increase in price of the 

 same, it will pay everyone where opportunity offers to 

 multiply the pike as much as possible through artificial 

 hatching and rearing. 



First I will describe the artificial impregnation and in- 

 cubation of the pike for such fishery owners or tenants as 

 possess springs on their premises or any sort of water- 

 course with a fall of at least one meter. The greater the 

 fall the better fitted it is for the setting up of hatching 

 jars — for the hatching in jars is the easiest and simplest. 



For everyone who owns or leases a lake it is an easy 

 thing to provide himself with good material in the shape 

 of spawning pike. Suitable fishes for this purpose are 

 females of 2 to 4 pounds, and males of any size. One must 

 have plenty of males, for pike are poor milters and it takes 

 five to ten males to fertilize the eggs of a two-pound pike, 

 for the success of the work depends on ample fertilization. 

 In the incubation of the eggs the main thing is that the 

 water should have a temperature of 8° R. (50° F.). 



Take a shallow plate or other dish, clean it carefully, 

 put water into it, take a ripe roe-fish, which can be 

 recognized in this way, that when it is grasped by the head. 



