IMPROVEMENT OF FISHERIES 239 



but give me a free hand, and in three years this little lake 

 will be an example and an encouragement for further re- 

 stocking. I am not going to discuss the advisability of 

 stocking with fry, yearlings, two-year-olds, &c. ; but would 

 remark that from what I know of the Lakes, would make 

 stocking with anything less than good-sized yearlings a waste 

 of time and money. 



Some people think that the cheapest way would be to start 

 a small hatchery of your own in the Lake District. I need 

 not go into the ins and outs of the question ; but I can 

 assure you that unless things are done on a large scale, there 

 cannot be any success ; and a small hatchery could never pay 

 or produce fish at the same price as they can be bought from 

 a commercial fishery. 



I myself have tried a small fishery, and I know what it 

 means : it must mean immense loss ; and unless a fishery 

 is capable of producing between ^3,000 and ^4,000 worth 

 of fish every year, it is hardly likely to last long. And I 

 am sure there would be no chance of the people in the 

 Lake District taking this quantity annually ; it does not 

 matter about its position, its water supply, or natural 

 advantage. Unless on a large scale it is doomed to failure. 



There is one thing I lay great emphasis on. That is the 

 whole system of buying fish artificially reared is completely 

 wrong. Such have too often been overcrowded in ponds, 

 they have lived in water which is virtually stagnant ; for 

 although fresh water is allowed to circulate in such ponds, 

 it is not what the fish are accustomed to living in a natural 

 running river. Moreover, most of the fisheries feed their fish 

 with horse-flesh, and nothing else. The fish do not get 

 accustomed to look out for the natural food which is so 

 essential for them, and which improves their quality and 

 flavour. When turned into rivers the majority of them 

 drop down for miles before they try to stem the current they 

 are unused to. 



All this I have proved by personal observation, and I am 

 quite certain there is more profit to the purchaser if he can 

 buy 100 fish from running water which have been used to a 

 natural river life, natural surroundings, and natural food, than 

 by 500 tame, horse-fed, pond-kept, flabby brutes from half 

 stagnant ponds. 



At Wyresdale we have gone in for copying nature as far 



