FISH FOR TH FARM 319 
ditions these fish will be ready for consumption in from 
two to three years. 
5. Catfish ponds.—Where catfish are raised commer- 
cially a single pond hardly suffices. It is advisable to 
use about one-half of the available pond land for breed- 
ing and for the maintenance of fish more than a year - 
old. Two or three smaller ponds should be set apart 
for the rearing of young fish. In commercial estab- 
lishments sorting fish into sizes is advisable, otherwise 
the big and strong will feed at the expense of the smaller 
fish. When big and little fish are raised together the 
loss of the young is large, for the reason that the older 
fish prey on the little ones. 
6. Sunfish.—In large or small bodies of fresh water the 
sunfish are generally found. While these fish are small, 
their flesh is sweet, tasty and of 
high flavor. These fish can be 
raised in very small bodies of water 
and yield to farm culture for home 
use or to a more extensive produc- 
tion of commercial importance. 
Eggs may be fertilized artificially, 
but more satisfactory results are obtained from natural 
spawning. The three principal varieties are: Com- 
mon or “pumpkin seed” sunfish, (2) the common long- 
eared sunfish, and (3) the blue gill. In spawning the 
pumpkin seed variety seeks a gravelly spot where the 
water is shallow, the common long-eared locates in 
deeper water, and the blue gill in the deepest spot it can 
find. 
7. Raising sunfish.—For best results in pond culture 
the small fry should be separated from the mature fish. 
Otherwise large numbers of the young will be devoured 
SUNFISH 
