THEORY vs. PRACTICAL TESTS 



BY J. J. STKANAIIAX, OF BrLLOCIIVlLLH, GA. 



It had not been my intention to prejnire a paper for this 

 meeting, but a little reflection has changed my mind. 



I take it for granted that the question of large and small 

 fingerlings in black bass planting is settled in favor of the 

 latter, or rather in favor of l)otli. l)ut even if it is, a few words 

 oji this side of what was at one time a controversy, may prove 

 interesting if not instructive. 



The Cold Spring, Ga., station of the bureau of fisheries 

 distributed during the fiscal year closing June 30th, 242,000 

 black bass, of which the major portion was what is known as 

 Xo. 1 fingerlings, ranging in length from one inch to one and a 

 half inches. This allowed us to cover well the states of Georgia. 

 Alabama and South Carolina, with some shipments for Xorth 

 Carolina and Florida. 



If an attempt had been made to supply these hundreds of 

 applicants with large fingerlings, say two to four inches long, 

 we must have signally failed. But it may be urged that the few 

 served with the larger fingerlings would have been better served. 

 This positively would not have been so, as shown by actual re- 

 sults. It will require from 500 to lOOO Xo. 1 tingerliiigs to 

 produce 100 Xo. -Ts, and the oOO or 1<»()<) No. fs will ])roduc-e 

 far greater and more satisfactory results than the KM) ;rs. From 

 our past four years experience in planting No. I's we get only 

 favorable reports. In the neighborhood of the station where we 

 have a better chance for ol)servation, we get reports most gratify- 

 ing. Ill the rase of new ])on(ls or those newly stocked, the 

 ownei>; bring us rejiorts ol' the capture of one-year- ohl bass in 

 greater numbers tlian it woubl liave been possible to have planted 

 if only large fingerlings liad hi-en distril)uted. From all direc- 

 tions came only favorable re])orts. Toiid building and fish cul- 

 ture interests are greatly on the increase over all the territory 

 that we cover, and there could be no l)etter endorsement than 



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