THE TROUT STREAM 27 



clubs now have their own hatcheries^ managed, 

 of course, by the water-keeper in their employ- 

 ment, and if the business is managed successfully 

 they sometimes find that they have far more year- 

 lings from time to time than they used. They 

 are hence able to sell to other clubs and pro- 

 prietors, and to make distinct profit. Few people 

 now stock their waters with fry unless those 

 waters are practically fishless, as otherwise hardly 

 any will be able to escape their enemies or arrive 

 at maturity. 



Yearlings at from fifteen to twenty-five pounds 

 a thousand, or even " two-year-olds " at from six 

 to ten pounds a hundred, are much cheaper in 

 the end than fry at, say, twenty- five shillings a 

 thousand. There are already several well-known 

 breeding establishments in the South of England 

 — such as the Exe Valley hatcheries and the 

 Crichmere ponds at Haslemere, in addition to 

 some excellent private hatcheries. The Wilton 

 Fly Fishing Club may be taken as a thoroughly 

 enterprising one, and it is well to note what that 

 Club has done in the way of stocking its ten miles 

 of trout and grayling water since 1 891. The 

 stretch of water on the Wylye came into the hands 

 of the Club in 1 890, and the first thing to do was 

 to clear the river as far as possible of the coarse 

 fish, which were found to be very numerous. 

 During the nine months ending 31st December, 

 1890, no less than 9,151 coarse fish were removed 

 from the water. Out of this number over 2,000 

 were pike, many of which weighed over 10 lbs. 

 In the following year the number of pike taken 

 was 897; in 1892 the number was 517 ; in 1893 it 

 was 103, and in 1894 it dropped as low as 2^. 



