178 Thiiiy-slxlh Annual Mrrll/uj 



imniediatcly after llie aljsorption of tlie volk-sac. The (ish aiv 

 not allowed lo roam freely in llicsc (liiclics, hut arc eoiilincd in 

 IJ\e-ears .1 to T feel long in wliicli thei-e ai-e natural conditions 

 — that is, plants, sandy bottom, and hi(lin<:- places. 



The ])rincipal species handled are Sdlino fario, Salmo iri- 

 clcii.s, and Salvelimis fofitindli.^. The average yearly egg-taki' 

 of late has been 200,000 eggs of the native trout, 100,000 egg> 

 of the American brook trout, and 100,000 eggs of the 'rainbow 

 trout. The loss during incubation is 10 to 15 per cent and dur- 

 ing the yolk-sac period 5 to 8 per cent, so that the annual oat- 

 put is about 300,000 fish for planting in the rearing ditches. 

 The annual sales of market fish are now al)out 4,000 pounds, foi- 

 which 70 and 75 cents a pound are received from dealers, the 

 retail consumer paying from 80 cents to $1.00 a pound. 



According to a descriptive booklet issued by Mr. von Pirko. 

 the aims of the establishment are (1) to produce healthy brood 

 iish in natural waters; (2) to ])roduce healthy well-colored 

 yearling fry for market, the method of their rearing based u])on 

 exact knowledge of their habits and necessities: and (o) to pro- 

 dnce ra])idly growing edible trout in running water and in ponds 

 by consideration of all the factors of natural existence and food. 



At Wagram is a rather extensive plant, established in 18(iS. 

 forming ])art of a large estate and being sub-let to a practical 

 fish culturisl. When I entered the grcninds. it was difficult to 

 realize that I was not in Anu'rica. for i)raetically everv pond 

 contained American trouts, as shown l)y the conspicnous signs. 

 Here I saw Salvelinvs fontinaJis. Salmo irideus, Salmo clarkci 

 and Salmo gairdneri. Among the fish on hand June 10 were 

 20,000 yearling brook trout, 50,000 yearling rainbow trout, and 

 300 large breeders, 400 two-year-old black-spotted trout in line 

 condition (the original stock from Jaffe at Sandport). and sev- 

 eral thousand excellent steelheads about two years old. together 

 with some hyljrid steelheads and native brook trout (Sahno 

 ftirio). The proprietor sells some fish for food in the Vienna 

 market, Imt his principal biisiness is in yearlings for stocking 

 purposes ; for such fish the prevailing price is $28 per thousand. 



The conclusions I reached after inspecting these and various 

 other establishments were that some of the practices are worthy 



