American Fisheries Society. 149 
ponds when about one and one-fourth inches long. I did not 
see that that hurt them a particle, although we would not take 
them smaller. But they are talking of large-mouth bass and we 
of small-mouh bass and we are liable to get confused. 
You said, Mr. President, that you were in the second stage 
in progress in bass culture. I think the whole of us are about 
in the baby fingerling stage in bass culture, and I think we will 
have a lot of hard work to do before we get up to the yearling 
stage. 
Dr. Johnson: There is a simple question perhaps which 
has puzzled me, which is an important factor, and that is the 
care of the wire. What has been found to be the best coating to 
put on your wire? All wires will rust, and as soon as they get 
rusted they hold debris. I have found fish commissioners of 
different states suggesting different things. I would like to 
know from authorities if there is any one particular thing that 
can be put on to the wires that will preserve their integrity. In 
my own very small pond on each gateway I have very fine wires, 
as I am dealing with small fish; and I protected that wire to a 
certain extent by making a V out in front of it, with large mesh 
wire, and using a small platform which gave me a place to stand 
on, and from which casting is more easy, and the wire being 
strong in the winter when the ice comes it is pushed to one side. 
There is a thick oil, a petroleum product, that works fairly well, 
until it gets rubbed off. Further, an expensive way of getting 
over the difficulty is to have double sets of screens and when one 
gets very dirty put in a fresh one; but there ought to be some- 
thing to coat the wires with, and that problem enters into every 
pond where you have any screening. 
Mr. Leary: We screen all of our outlets with perforated 
zinc sheets. 
Dr. Johnson: Suppose you use wire, what would you coat 
it with? 
Mr. Leary: I have never found any wire that would stand 
except galvanized wire. 
Dr. Johnson: That I have used. 
