s^i3its^€il' 



The troughs of a receiving station should be regulation hatchery troughs, speci- 

 fications for which are given in Modern Fish Culture, by Fred Mather. Their 

 good results amply justify the expenses of construction and operation, which are 

 not large. The receiving stations, while designed primarily for emergency use, 

 may be transformed into rear stations to accommodate the young fish until they 

 have reached the fingerling size. Far better than troughs for rearing purposes 

 are large pools with sand or gravel bottoms, and stone, concrete or wooden 

 sides, or sides and bottoms entirely of concrete. Some fish culturists do not 

 favor concrete, believing that its cracks harbor infection. Wood, properly treated 

 with tar, is very satisfactory. Cypress is best, and hemlock is next in order. 

 A high fence of chicken wire, with chicken wire covering the top, will sometimes 

 be necessary to keep out herons and kingfishers. Rearing and receiving sta- 

 tions should be supplied with an abundance of pure, cold running water. Spring 

 water is best, since it is not subject to pollution and flood variation. While the 

 side pools described above can sometimes be made into satisfactory rearing sta- 

 tions for large numbers of fish, they are ordinarily not adapted to the crowding 

 and forcing of a rearing station. 



Kegular Care Essential. 



The station should be so located that regular feeding and attention can be 

 given to the fish. Associations which are now operating rear stations find it con- 

 venient to engage someone living nearby as caretaker. Volunteer labor for this 

 purpose is ordinarily not to be advised, as the large number of fish that must be 

 reared in such pools to justify their installation makes regular and responsible 

 attention of much importance. The fish that are confined in rearing stations are 

 subject to any of the diseases and accidents that are liable to occur among hatchery 

 reared fish, and they should accordingly be closely watched. The more the care- 

 taker knows of or can learn about fish culture, the more successful will be the 

 work. In fact successful fish culture is largely a matter of personal efficiency. 

 At the first outbreak of anything that is not understood an expert should be 



Home of the Rainbow 



(19) 



