of Salmon and other Fish artificially. 169 



rest till half dry, and occupied by worms and the ova of insects, 

 appear to suit them best. About the 1st of September last, 

 when on an agricultural tour of Belgium, I visited an esta- 

 blishment belonging to King Leopold, and adjoining his 

 new palace of Ai'dennes, on a much more expensive scale 

 than that now described, where the breeding of trout had 

 been tried for the three previous seasons, though with but 

 little success. A very few small trout bred 1839-40 were 

 still alive, but the ova of 1841 were a complete failure, chiefly 

 from not properly covering the spawn with gravel, and other 

 errors. Bread made of brown and white flour mixed was the 

 food found best suited to the few living, who, judging from 

 their shape as seen swimming about in a small pool, were in 

 excellent condition. The trout-breeding establishment of 

 Ardennes, however, proves that their spawn, if treated in the 

 same way as that of salmon above described, will produce the 

 same successful results, and that any one possessing a con- 

 venient pond or stream may stock it with the best kinds of 

 trout or other fish in one or two years, and by good feeding 

 have them in high condition. Where trout ah'eady exists of 

 small size and inferior quahty, I would recommend wholly 

 destroying the breed by saturating the water with quick-lime 

 or any other mode more advisable, and procuring spawn or 

 fry from lakes where the best kinds of trout are found, in 

 Scotland or elsewhere. The same may be said of grayling, 

 pike, or any other kind of fish suited to ponds or brooks and 

 rivers as may be desired by their owners, which renders the 

 discovery now made known of value to all, and in all quarters, 

 as well as to salmon-fishing proprietors. In conclusion, I 

 hope that the above brief account may not only be well under- 

 stood, bvit that the ease and comparatively trifling expense 

 at which the breeding of fry can be accomplished may induce 

 many this season to try this novel but successful mode of in- 

 creasing our stocks of salmon and other fish, and consequently 

 adding largely to the wealth of our country. — F. M. 



Should any further information be wanted. Sir F. will 

 gladly reply to such inquiries ; and he now expresses a hope, 

 that those who may be successful in spring 1842, or after 

 years, will communicate to him any account of improvement 

 on the mode of breeding, feeding, &c. now described; as, 

 though perfectly satisfied with the results of his own expe- 

 riments. Sir F. is ready to acknowledge that there exists no- 

 thing so perfect devised by man as not to admit of improve- 

 ment. 



Conan House, Ross-shirc, Oct. 1st, 1841. J 



