52 THE GOLDFISH AND ITS CULTURE. 
Goldfish raising is therefore confined to:— 
I. Guiding Nature with regard to the ‘survival of the fittest,’ and with it 
of course the pure strain. 
II. Assisting Nature by securing suitable spawning resorts. 
TII. Regulating the spawning season, and 
IV. Protecting their spawn and young. 
SELECTION OF BREEDERS. 
As scon as the spring weather sets in with sufficient sunshine to 
affect the temperature of the water, the fish in their winter quarters 
rise near the surface and become lively again. This is the time to 
get the spawning beds ready for action. Whatever month or date 
that may be, is determined by the respective locality of the ponds, 
viz., their situation in a northern or southern climate, and there, 
whether they are exposed or protected. The beds are then filled 
with water to the proper level, and all details concerning the pond 
are attended to, so that it will be in complete running order. When 
all is ready, the fish from which it is intended to breed are selected, 
and right here reside the fundamental conditions upon which depend 
the production of a good and saleable crop of fish. The fish used to 
breed from should be healthy in every respect, of good shape and 
color, and of gentle, fully domesticated habits, All these qualities 
will be inherited by their young. In regard to the color of the fish, 
it is of great importance to know at what age this was acquired, as 
such fish that colored at an age of six to eight weeks transmit the 
same tendency to their young on an average of 98%. In contrast 
with this, those fish whose coloring was delayed until the second 
year, when bred, produce but 5% of young that will color in the 
first year, while the remainder do not assume their red, yellow, or 
white coloring until the second year, a great many never changing, 
always remaining ‘‘silver” fish. 
