62 PRACTICAL TROUT CULTURE. 



be made is to lay what is called a spar floor, 

 composed of pieces of shingle lath (2 x 1) laid 

 upon 2x3 inch scantling, the laths being one 

 inch apart, and rounded slightly, or, as it is tech- 

 nically termed, "the corners taken off" on the 

 upper side ; any water which may drip will, of 

 course, fall between these, and a comparatively 

 dry footing will be obtained. By means of over- 

 flow pipes in the supply and breeding troughs, a 

 proper height of water may always be retained. 



The advantages of the tray over the trough sys- 

 tem are numerous : First, it is almost impossible 

 for any dirt to settle upon the glass and destroy 

 the vitality of the egg ; secondly, the eggs are al- 

 ways in full view, not only can their development 

 be watched, a matter of great interest to every 

 true fish culturist, but any dead or dying ones can 

 at once be detected and removed. The number of 

 rods in each grille being known, the number of 

 spawn on hand can be at once estimated ; and, 

 when eggs are to be packed for shipping, the un- 

 certain method of measuring and the tedious one 

 of counting can both be avoided. The young 

 fishes, when hatched, fall through the interstices 

 between the tubes into the water beneath, and by 

 withdrawing the cork can be "drawn off" into a 

 pan of water and removed to the nursery trough. 

 If no trough is on hand, they may be retained in 



