AMERICAN FISHES IN ITALY. 



By GIUSEPPE BESANA, 

 President Lariana Section, Lombardy Society of Fisheries and Aquiculture. 



[Translated from the German.] 

 REARING IN ARTIFICIAL PONDS. 



In the small ponds of the Piscicoltura Borghi at Varano-Borghi, opened in 

 1907, were produced at first mostly fry and yearling fishes for stocking purposes. 

 But as the plants were without results, the ponds were increased in number 

 and the rearing of table fishes was undertaken, including attempts to cultivate 

 American trouts and salmon, namely, Salmo irideus, Oncorhynchus tschawytscha, 

 and Salvelinus fontinalis. Experiments were made also with Salmo clarkii, 

 crossing it with the rainbow trout. 



Of these fishes, at the present time only the rainbow trout is being culti- 

 vated. The quinnat grew extraordinarily fast during the first year and without 

 losses, reaching a size for table use during that one year; but the flesh was not 

 yet firm nor of good flavor. The growth was still good during the second year, 

 but in the third year there remained but very few of the fish, and they were 

 thin and for the most part died during the period of spawning. The quinnat 

 presented another disadvantage during the second year, being so delicate that 

 when fished out to be transferred to other ponds, in spite of the great care 

 taken, a great number of them died. The brook trout grew very well during 

 the first year, markedly less during the second year, still less during the third, 

 while the mortality continually increased. Compared with the European sal- 

 monoids the best results were obtained with the rainbow trout. In the second 

 summer these trout reached the size of table fishes, weighing 150 to 200 grams, 

 and the flesh had a good flavor. They endure transportation well, and readily 

 take artificial food. We know of no other salmonoids so well adapted to culture 

 in ponds. The few experiments in crossing the irideus with the clarkii trout did 

 not encourge further effort, as the growth of the hybrid is far inferior to that 

 of irideus. 



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