116 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



which terminated at 4 o'clock, was 120 bass and two striped perch. After 

 a good supper, gotten up by Mrs. Bellows, the party returned to Provi- 

 dence on the 6:53 train well satisfied with the efforts of the Fish Com- 

 missioners in stocking Rhode Island ponds with black bass. I might add 

 that upward of a dozen Providence families had fried bass for breakfast 

 Sunday morning. Yours piscatorially, H. 



FISH CULTURE : 



PLANNING, LAYING OUT, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OP 



PONDS. 



i 



BY ICHTHYOS. — "K UMBER EIGHT. 



IT would seem in collecting the experience of fish cultur- 

 ists, much more depends" upon the quality of water, 

 its coolness and purity, than upon the shape of ponds, as 

 receptacles for the fish. Indeed, if pisciculturists in pro- 

 pagating trout and salmon, would imitate their native 

 haunts the ponds would need to be constructed with very 

 little regard to art. Hon. David H. Hammond, of Elgin, 

 111., already aluded to in these papers, in arranging his fish 

 farm, has constructed his ponds mostly upon the natural 

 surface of the ground in a square or oblong shape, the 

 sides being made of stone laid in hydraulic cement, thus 

 giving a secure pond of three to five feet in depth, where 

 salmon and trout may be seen as vigorous and thrifty as 

 ever grew. These ponds are not affected by freezing, as the 

 spring water rarely gets below 35°. So we can conceive 

 that in many instances ponds of such shape and material, 

 may be adopted and less expense incurred than in the 

 choice of the oblong or pyriform shapes, especially so if 

 stone abound in the neighborhood of fine springs or 

 streams. 



Such ponds for a private gentlemen, may be made not 

 only quite profitable, but afford agreeable pastime in the 

 study of the finny tribes, not the least interesting members 

 of the animal creation. More than that, the pond runs 

 itself without material expense to the owner, and with a 

 small outlay of labor he can produce many fish, which are 

 indeed pleasant to have upon the table of the peasant or 

 millionaire. Thus it is possible for many persons to have 

 at their very doors, by a trifling outlay, cheap and whole- 

 some food. A supply of water that will fill a pipe four 

 inches in diameter will produce at least fifteen hundred 

 trout annually. 



Some fish farmers cultivate in ponds set apart for the 

 youngest fish, aquatic plants, for the reason that they 

 powerfully aid in aerating the water. This is philosophi- 

 cally true, for fish in aquaria could hardly be sustained 

 without the aid of water plants. There is but one draw- 

 back to this arrangement, the dead fish are concealed, and 

 much of the food is lost among the plants, which together 

 with the dead fish soon render the water impure and quite 

 untenable for its inhabitants. But if the aeration of the 

 water, through the use of plants affords more oxygen to 

 the water than could be obtained in their absence, it may 

 be desirable to cultivate them . In case they are used for 

 this purpose, those best adapted are the hornwort (cerato- 

 pyllum) and the water starwort (caUiridie), both natives of 

 ponds and ditches. Stones, angular in shape, should be 

 placed in all of the ponds for the fishes to chafe against, 

 that they may rid themselves from troublesome parasites 

 that often infest them. As has already been hinted in a 

 previous paper, if midnight thieves prowl about the ponds 

 in quest of fishy plunder, stakes may be driven into the 

 ponds at near intervals, and sawed just below the surface 

 of the water as a means of embarrassing poaching with 

 seines, gill-nets and coop-nets. 



Everything complete, the whole area included in the. 

 farm, should be surrounded with a tight board fence, 

 strongly built eight or ten feet high. This will prove an 

 excellent barrier against gangs of marauders, who steal, 

 live and thrive, upon the products of toil and labor of 

 honest men; "sharks on shore" who have a decided fellow 

 feeling for the fishes, but care not so much for the quid 

 pro quo as they do for the trout. 



In the arrangement of ponds for trout, what has been 

 said in that connection applies as well to the salmon, only 

 that they should be more roomy and deeper, as this fish is 

 a natural denizen of deep, as well as rapid streams. It is 

 \ the highest type of this species, and though large, if ponds 

 \ are constructed correspondingly large and deep, they can be 

 | as profitably produced. In connection with the produc- 

 tion of the different varieties of the salmonidse, black bass, 

 perch and pike can be as successfully produced as the sal- 

 mon family. In all cases the pond should be arranged so 

 that the different varieties cannot intermix. Bass ponds 

 should be roomy, perhaps a series of them connected to- 

 gether and separated by screens would be more congenial 

 to the habits of the fish, and admit of more seclusion dur- 

 ing their spawning season, and when this is over they may 

 betaken out and placed in another pond until the eggs are 

 hatched and the fish obtain such a size that they may be 

 able to shift for themselves. Perch ponds may be coil: 

 structed in a series of small ponds connected by races, ana 

 if the formation of the ground is favorable, they may be 

 constructed one above another at different elevations. The 

 perch is a noble fish, both as regards its flesh and the 

 avidity with which it seizes a tempting bait. Regulation 

 anglers, however, scout the idea of taking such tame fish, 

 as with them angling is not angling unless employed in the 

 capture of gamey fish superior in agility and beautiful in 

 form. The pike is also worthy of propagation, not only 

 on account of gamey qualities, but from its flesh. They 

 soon become accustomed to those who are employed about 

 the ponds, and domesticate as easily as the trout. He is a 

 predacious fish, and is decidedly a good liver, feeding up- 

 on chubs and tender minnows. But when angry he erects 

 his fins in a remarkable manner, as the lion does his mane, 

 or the porcupine his quills, but when caught he dies right 

 regally, and when in the creel, we may count upon a 

 dainty meal that a king might covet- The bass, perch 

 and pike should be transferred to the artificial ponds and 

 left to increase, for but little is known of their artificial 

 production. 



[Concluded.'] 



— We are requested by Professor Baird to inform those 

 interested that should the promise of abundance of Mr. 

 Livingston Stones' salmon eggs be realized, he (Professor 

 Baird) will give to any applicant as many eggs as he may 

 agree to hatch out. Nine hundred thousand eggs have 

 been collected in one day, so that the supply promises to 

 be almost unlimited. 



TROUT CULTURE FOR MARKET. 



v^ Patchogue, L. I., September, 1875. 



Editor Forest ahd Stream:— 



I notice you indorse some of my views on fish culture by following na- 

 ture. With your permission I will further elucidate my ideas. How- 

 ever necessary it may be for the full development of some kinds of fish, 

 such as bass, perch, etc., the miniature ponds, (especially on small 

 streams,) as far as brook trout are concerned, are not necessary or even 

 desirable for raising fish for market. As ponds are desirable for casting 

 the fly and for pleasure, I will note some of the conditions necessary to be 

 observed in order to raise handsome, well-flavored fish in ponds:— First, 

 ponds must be regulated according to size of stream, so as in no case to 

 foul up in wet weather or freeze solid in cold weather. Ponds choke up 

 the springs, hence it is best in all cases of small streams to excavate, as 

 this increases instead of diminishes the volume of water. Sometimes 

 fish will die in a new pond or canal from the presence of too much iron 

 or other mineral substances, but it will soon settle all right. Many have 

 vainly tried at great expense to maintain a sandy or gravelly bottom to 

 ponds. This is an impossibility, owing to the law of gravitation. - The 

 color of trout will be regulated by the nature of the bottom; the flavor 

 by the purity of the water and feed. The advantages of canals over 

 ponds for raising trout for market are that you can fatten up those you 

 wish to sell and take them out at discretion; you can maintain a sandy 

 and gravelly bottom, making them light coloaed, and by giving the proper 

 feed they will have that high flavor which is so desirable. A trout prop- 

 erly fattened is as far superior to a common brook trout as a Spanish 

 mackerel is to a common- black bass. You can have them under your eye 

 at "all times. The advantages of ponds are, then, to furnish more natu- 

 ral food, which in some locations is an item of account. The fish must 

 have sand or gravel at the head or at some place where it will be kept 

 clean, else the fish will be dark colored. Pcnds are well enough if the 

 fish can run up stream at will. If the bottom is springy they will do 

 well enough. Por a self-sustaining pond a stream or spawning race at 

 the head is necessary. A self -protecting spawning race is best. 



A. J. Hinds. 



v 



A FINE EXHIBITION OF FISH. 



i «, 



Harrisburg, Sept. 18, 1875. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



The display of fish at the Berks County Fair, recently held at Eeading, 

 Pa., was a decidedly valuable acquisition. There were many fine speci- 

 mens of black bass of all sizes, salmon, etc., on exhibition, which at- 

 tracted no little attention. The fair continued four days, and was at- 

 tended by thousands, among whom were some of the most prominent 

 men of the State and America. Our prominent pisciculturists, Messrs. 

 John Hollenbach, Jonas J. Houck, ex-Sheriff Evan Misbler, Reese Davis, 

 and Samuel U. Hollenbach, all assisted in making this department a suc- 

 cess, and the public are under obligations to the~ , solely, for the excel- 

 lent display. Pere Nixon. 

 , -*-♦«*- . 



GENERAL SHERIDAN AS A FISH CUL- 

 TURIST. 



United States Salmon Breeding Station, ) 

 McCloud River, Cal . , Sept. 19, 1875. \ 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



Gen. Sheridan made us a visit to-day, together with his party, consist- 

 ing of Mrs. Gen. Sheridan, Col. Sheridan and wife. The General showed 

 a snprising familiarity with the processes of fish culture, and expressed 

 very great interest in the work which the United States is doing here. 

 We fortunately had seven millions salmon eggs in fine condition to show 

 him. He impressed us all as a very genial and pleasant man, with a 

 mighty reserve power to call out in case of emergency. 



Very truly yours, Livingston Stone. 



\ntnml <§isforg. 



SOMETHING ABOUT FROGS. 



IT has always "been a matter of conjecture as to what 

 becomes of the frogs in Winter. A correspondent of 

 Land and Water relates an instance of what came under 

 his observation many years ago on the Cumberland shore 

 TJllswater Lake: 



"I ought to premise that prior to the introduction of 

 draining-tiles, drains were usually constructed in Cum- 

 cerland by filling up the trench cut with broken stones 

 In some mountain meadows (where of course the plough 

 was never used) the drains were so filled to the top, care 

 only being taken to keep them out of the way of the scythe. 

 Sometimes the drains became choked with soil and clay, 

 and required to be opened out. In such duty a laborer 

 was engaged when he suddenly struck his pickaxe into a 

 mass of many hundreds of frogs. Had I written thou- 

 sands I should not have exceeded the truth. For several 

 feet in length of the drain were the animals closely packed 

 among the broken stones. Their color was a dirty, corpse- 

 like white, all the bright yellow, or russet, of Summer was 

 gone. On exposure to the air, it was really a difficult mat- 

 ter to decide whether Froggy was living or dead, as no 

 motion indicatee the former state of existence. Questions 

 suggested themselves to me at the moment, the solution of 

 which has remained a puzzle to this hour. How did the 

 frogs get there? It is not difficult to imagine that a stray 

 member of the ranal community finding out so convenient 

 a hibernating shelter, but how came such a multitude 

 thither? Will this in any way account for what we are 

 constantly hearing of— batrachians being found imbedded in 

 rocks, timber, etc? These are generally solitary. Supposing, 

 again, that the whole number should have perished in situ, 

 and become fossilised, what would some Hugh Miller or 

 Buckland of the future think of the discovery? Through 

 the medium of your columns I would inquire if similar 

 frog "holds" have been observed by others. The laborer 

 who disinterred the lot in question was himself of an in- 

 quisitive turn, and immediately dispatched one of his 

 young hopefuls in quest of me, and so afforded me the 

 only chance I ever had of viewing frogs in a Winter state 

 of existence. The manner in which they were packed 

 amongst the broken stones was of itself sufficient to im- 

 pair the efficiency of the drain as a channel for the surplus 

 water of a very boggy mountain meadow." 



We have frequently quoted frog's legs among the ar- 

 ticles exposed for sale in our fish market/and are aware 

 that there are parties in Canada who make a business of 

 catching them for market. According to the Troy Times 

 this is the way the supply is caught nearer home: 



"I was out driving on Saturday, and a few miles from 

 here found two men in a swamp by the side of the road 

 who seemed to be crazy, to judge from their movements! 

 I watched them from the carriage some time, and finally 

 made up my mind they were fishing, but how they could 

 find water enough to fish in I could not imagine. Finally 

 I called out to them, 'What are you doing there?' 'Uome 

 and see,' one of them shouted back. I hitched my horse 



and picked my way over the bogs to them. They werp 

 catching frogs. They would strike them with clubs where 

 they could reach them, but the most of them they caught 

 with a wire /snare.' They had a large basketful, more 

 than a hundred pounds, they said, and I guess they told 

 the truth. One of them said he made a good deal of 

 money catching frogs for the New York market. He said 

 that in one month last season he caught 1,600 pounds of 

 dressed frogs, for which he got thirty cents a pound, mak- 

 ing $480 for his month's work. Part of the time he had 

 two boys to help him. Last week near Hudson he said he 

 caught upward of 500 pounds and sold them for $160 or 

 at an average of thirty-two cents a pound. These stories 

 seemed to me incredible, and yet he assured me it was 

 truth. He can clear twenty-eight cents a pound, he says 

 easily. He seemed to be an honest man, and from the ease 

 with which they caught the frogs I was led to believe that 

 he had not stretched the truth much, if at all." 

 .»»»» . 



A Snake with Ears. — The Reading Eagle states that a 

 correspondent in Robeson township sends it an account of 

 a large swamp black snake, recently killed in that vicinity 

 that was found to have two ears about two inches apart' 

 theree inches and a half from the back of the mouth. The 

 ears were about half an inch in length and shaped like a 

 rabbit's. 



Stinging Jelly Fish. — Probably the nearest approach 

 to failure during Capt. Webb's great swim from Dover to 

 Calais was where he came in contact with some stinging 

 jelly fish. He relates that the burning and pain was most 

 intense, and for days afterwards his neck was covered 

 with a rash. We find in an exchange a statement 

 from a writer to the effect that he had met with 

 a similar experience while swimming. He suddenly 

 felt as if thrown into a bed of nettles, his breast and 

 arms smarting severely. On looking for the cause, he 

 found himself surrounded by these tormentors, and a 

 young friend swimming with him became so frightened 

 from the attack, that both returned to shore faster than 

 they left it. Calling on a chemist and druggist on their 

 way home, they purchased a pot of cold cream, with 

 which they anointed themselves and soon recovered. 



lie MmneL 



Distinguished Arrival. — On the National Line Steam- 

 ship Erin, which reached this port from Liverpool the 

 27th inst., came a fine setter consigned to "Ajax," by 

 "Idstone." In color, a rich red; in strain, pure Irish; age, 

 five and a half months; sex, the gentler. A bony, blood- 

 like head; flat cheeks; high occiput; large dark lustrious 

 eyes; dark nose; long muscular neck; oblique shoulders; 

 straight front legs; girth large for her age; strong loins; 

 tail commencing a comblike feather; hindquarters drooping, 

 and hind legs remarkably "let down" and as flat as a knife; 

 and the whole standing on the daintiest, firmest, cat-like 

 feet ; such is her appearance. And her pedigree, which 

 we intend to publish next week, shows she comes honestly 

 by her good looks. We are glad to welcome so rare a 

 setter to our shores, and are confident that in the hands of 

 the true sportsman who has imported her, she will develop 

 into all of which a thoroughbred field dog is capable. 



— Gentlemen proposing to send dogs to the Memphis 

 Field Trials are notified that they will be forwarded from 

 Louisville, Ky., free of charge. 



'*»» — 



— By reference to our advertising columns it will be seen 

 that ' 'Mohawk's" fine Field Trial setter bitch, Kirby in whelp 

 to Mr. Raymond's Pride of the Border, is offered for sale. 

 Kirby, whose pedigree has been published in our paper, is 

 splendidly bred and will be an acquisition to any kennel. 

 , -**^~ 



SOMETHING ABOUT OUR GENERAL 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



General was a pup; he was bought at no mean price, and 

 brought home curled up in his master's hat. He was a setter, 

 beautifully marked, and came of a family high in reputation; 

 therefore we considered ourselves fortunate when we became his pos- 

 sessor. But we stop just here to ask, did you ever raise a pup— a setter 

 pup? If so, you know something about the trials that awaitea us. We 

 named the dog General, thinking in time he would deserve the appella- 

 tion, but alas ! for our hopes, he was ere long pronounced a general nui- 

 sance. The first few nights after his arrival were made hideous by his 

 continual mournings for his mother, whom he was never more to see 

 again. All sorrows come to an end, however, and kind treatment and 

 good feeding solaced our puppy's feelings, and he soon became con- 

 tented and happy. As soon as his four short legs could scamper around 

 with his fat little body his mischievous pranks commenced. He from 

 the first evinced the greatest fondness for brushes; carried away shoe 

 brush, stove, hair and clothes brush each in turn, and with most untir- 

 ing industry endeavored to pick them to pieces. He would pull at the 

 bristles, and when they pricked his tender nose would bark with puppy- 

 like fury and redouble his efforts at annihilation of the brush kingdom. 

 A broom was another object of his love, and he would destroy one with 

 the greatest delight. We once asked a little girl if she knew what the 

 word peacemaker meant. "Yes, um," was the prompt reply, "all in 

 pieces." According to this definition our dog was a genuine pkcemakM'i 

 for he was ready at short notice to make any article all in pieces that 

 could be thus rendered by his claws and sharp teeth. "Woe to the boots 

 and shoes that were left within his reach; he has hidden more than one 

 pair where the owner never found them. A young lady came on a visi 

 to the house and at first fancied General greatly, praised his glossy coat, 

 fine head, and pretty brown eyes, expressed herself as being very fond of 

 dogs, aud thought she should like nothing better than a romp with the 

 mischievous pup. The dog was nothing loth, and a romp they had, hu 

 poor Miss Flora came off with clothes soiled and rent, while Genera 

 wagged his tail, shook himself, and was ready to tatter Miss Flora s 

 wrapper more completely if she did not object. Miss Flora laid her 

 pretty new hat in a chair, which was careless, we know. The pup, when 

 unobserved, snatched it, took it to the grass plot, and was soon after 

 found standing over its remains, seemingly delighted at his own dest * a ^ 

 tiveness. It was very early Spring when Gen. came to us. therefore whe^ 

 the first broods of young chickens appeared he was old enough to fuiij^ 

 appreciate fun. The first brood quickly vanished from our &ifi?ht; how 



I 



