GROWING THE LARGE TROUT. 213 



eat. I would give the trout all the minnows I could 

 get. 



There is another objection which deserves more 

 consideration, and this is that in amateur trout ponds, 

 where large and small trout are kept together without 

 sorting, the habit of feeding on minnows may encour- 

 age the bad habit, in the trout, of feeding on each 

 other. In this case I would take a day or two for the 

 work, and sort the fish thoroughly, and then let them 

 have the minnows ; but if this cannot be done, per- 

 haps the objection against the minnows holds good. 



3. Fish flesh ground up. This is undoubtedly good 

 food for trout, and in some districts fish are so plenty 

 that it is the cheapest and most accessible food. For 

 instance, on the Mirimichi River, where smelts are used 

 to manure the land, or on the Missisquoi, where a large 

 sturgeon can be bought for a dollar, and perch for 

 nothing, these or other fish, killed and run through 

 a mill such as is used for grinding mackerel bait, would 

 answer quite as well as meat Trout like meat best, 

 but thrive well on fish food. 



4. Sour-milk curd. This makes very good food for 

 trout, though they do not like it as well as meat. 

 It is easily prepared by pouring boiling water on 

 bonny-clabber and straining out the whey. What re- 

 mains in the strainer is the curd. When milk is 

 plenty, this food is very accessible, and also not ex- 

 pensive, and makes a very good occasional substitute 

 for meat; but an exclusive diet of curd is thought 

 to be unhealthful. 



5. Worms and insects. These, of course, with all 



