Bullock. — Problems in Bass Culture 135 



that the distribution of fry in flowing streams is of little value. But, 

 when one party tells me that he found thousands of six and eight inch 

 bass on the bottom of his broken pond in October, the result of stocking 

 with fry in May, and others seem well satisfied with the number of 

 twelve inch bass two years after planting fry, I am convinced that fry 

 and small fingerlings are perfectly successful to plant in ponds. These, 

 by hard work, we can produce in satisfactory numbers. 



Mr. Fearnow: While this station is not located at an ideal 

 place, it is performing a very useful work and, in spite of the 

 difficulties that are being experienced there, we are producing 

 a fairly good type of fish. A great percentage of the output is used for 

 the stocking of private ponds, and in the southern states that often 

 means the stocking of ponds owned by companies who employ large num- 

 bers of people, such as the Cotton Mill Ponds that we have in North and 

 South Carolina and, I presume in Georgia as well. That matter was 

 brought to my attention some time ago by a congressman from one of 

 the southern states. He pointed out that these employees work long 

 hours ; that fishing is their only recreation and that they fish these ponds 

 under restrictions. It seems to me, therefore, that the work being done 

 at that station in very important in that it contributes to the happiness 

 and comfort of the population. 



Mr. Titcomb : I did not have it in mind that we should give up the 

 fish culture work there, but I should like to give it up where it is not 

 profitable. I should like to see the government buy a place where they 

 could produce fish in maximum numbers at a minimum expense instead 

 of spending so much money in a place where conditions are so unfavor- 

 able. The station is rather valuable for experimental purposes. May 

 I inquire where you get your brood fish to replenish your loses? 



Mr. Bullock : The question of getting brood fish is our most bother- 

 some problem. For a number of years they were purchased in South 

 Georgia from the owner of a pond of between six and ten thousand acres. 

 Last year we could not get them there, and we had five unstocked ponds. 

 Prospects are very good for getting them for the next season at a very 

 low unit cost. It is better to buy at a low unit cost, than to try to raise 

 them. It may well be that they cost less than does the brood stock reared 

 from fingerlings at some of the other stations. Aside from purchase 

 of broodstock our operating expenses are kept low as we employ no 

 temporary labor at our home station. 



Mr. Woods: While we are on this subject, I may say that the 

 Missouri State Fish Commission is represented here in the person of 

 Mr. Kopplin, who has been in the Service for about thirty years. I 

 think you ought to call upon him, Mr. Chairman. 



Dr. Embody: We shall be glad to hear from the representative of 

 the Missouri Commission. 



Mr. Kopplin : i do not know that I have anything in particular to 

 say, though I should be pleased to answer any questions. The problems 

 involved are difficult, and each station will have to work out its own 

 salvation. Now, the matter has been discussed pretty thoroughly, and 



