200 THE TROUT 



rivers, and streams with much less fear of the very 

 heavy loss from starvation which occurs among the 

 very young fry when turned into the wide, wide world 

 straight from the snug nursery of the hatching-box. 



Of course, in stocking a stream or lake with fry, 

 even though they are three or four months old, and 

 are forward in growth, a large percentage of them may 

 generally be expected to disappear from other causes 

 than starvation. Many will be devoured by larger 

 trout. Perch and eels, too, will claim a good many 

 victims. Great numbers, too, may disappear in a 

 flood. It follows that, although the first cost of fry is 

 less than that of older fish, to stock with fry is not 

 usually the cheaper plan in the end. On the other 

 hand, there are exceptional circumstances in which 

 stocking even with very young fry may undoubtedly 

 be tried with advantage and economy. 



In carefully fenced water containing no fish 

 whatever, a good return may sometimes be obtained 

 from stocking with fry. But this is a branch of my 

 subject in which it is not possible to lay down general 

 rules of universal application. So much depends on 

 the circumstances of each case, that you will generally 

 be well advised in taking the opinion of an experienced 

 fish-culturist before incurring any considerable out- 

 lay in stocking with fry. 



