xlvin 



RECREA TION. 



THE BLUE HILLS TROUT PRE- 

 SERVE. 



While en route to New York, from 

 Springfield, Mass., I stopped at Meriden, 

 Conn., to visit the hatchery of the Blue 

 Hills Trout Preserve, near that city. 



From the station I took the least direct 

 but most attractive drive to the hatchery. 

 This road leads through Hubbard Park, 

 which has recently been much beautified. 



After a drive of half an hour I reached 

 the farm of L. J. Peck, where the preserve 

 is located, near the road, in a beautiful val- 

 ley. There I found the superintendent, Mr. 

 H. J. Holdridge, who I learned had been 

 with the company for about 2 months. Pre- 

 vious to that time he had been in charge of 

 the Connecticut State Hatcheries, at Wind- 

 sor Locks, and, for many years before, 

 superintendent of a large hatchery in Rhode 

 Island. Mr. Holdridge said that at the state 

 hatchery he had raised Atlantic and land 

 locked salmon, brook, lake and rainbow 

 trout, but that the Blue Hills Company 

 would confine their products to brook trout. 



In the engine house the food is prepared 

 by steam power for the various sized trout. 

 This is no small item as the fish require 

 several hundred pounds of food every week. 



In the hatchery every preparation has 

 been made for taking about 2,000,000 trout 

 eggs. Pure, cold water is conveyed to the 

 hatchery through 3 large pipes, directly from 

 immense springs. 



. In the first pool outside of the hatchery 

 building I saw several thousand handsome 

 trout, measuring from 8^2 to 9 inches in 

 length. The superintendent asked me to 

 guess at the weight of one of these. They 

 looked as if they would weigh Yi or Y\ of a 

 pound, each, but when he placed 3 average 

 sized fish on the scales I was surprised to 

 find they weighed but a trifle over a pound. 



From these a large number of the eggs are 

 procured. 



The next 4 or 5 pools contained thousands 

 of fish which are being grown for next sea- 

 son's market, and other pools were filled 

 with yearlings of various sizes. I then 

 visited the site of the new fly fishing pond, 

 where good sport may be had for a reason- 

 able consideration. 



The surrounding hills approach within 200 

 feet of one another, making an ideal place 

 for the pond, which is within sight of the 

 cottage. 



From present indications this company 

 will be able to fill orders for almost any 

 number of trout eggs, fry and market fish. 



The natural resources afTord an opportu- 

 nity to raise trout fry and fingerlings in 

 numbers sufficient to stock the entire state. 



SHE CALLED HIM DOWN. 



There was a young wife of Antigua, 



Who said to her spouse " what a pig you 



are." 

 He replied, " Oh sweet one, do you speak of 



' my gun, 

 Or do you refer to my figuare? 



TO "COQUINA," 



The Game Hog's Nemesis. 



a. l. vermilya. 



Mr, Shields, you're just a dandy, 



So polite and yet so handy, 



As you pull the bristles off the squealing 



swine; 

 As you swipe the low pot hunters, 

 Then so deftly wring the grunters, 

 And stand them up for show all in a line. 



You are building for the future, 

 When you stop the brainless butcher, 

 Whose only thought is present means and 



ways, 

 And the coming years will cheer you, 

 When, with brother sportsmen near you, 

 You survey the goodly work of other days. 



In the days now old in story, 

 When the bison in his glory, 

 Roamed in countless herds across the rolling 



plain; 

 There was sport for all the nation, 

 When men took their recreation; 

 Now, but memories of buffalo remain. 



And the birds whose joyous singing 

 Though the vale and wood is ringing, 

 Ever weaker, ever thinner grow their ranks; 

 While on streams where sunbeams quiver, 

 Grassy lake or winding river, 

 There all day the fish hog squats upon the 

 banks. 



So run out your guns for battle, 



Let us hear the bullets rattle, 



As the shrapnel bursts among the frantic 



swine; 

 And like Dewey at Manila, 

 Keep it up and knock them silly, 

 And we'll back you all along the sportsmen's 



line. 



For, Coquina, you're a ripper, 



A peeler, and a clipper, 



When you smite the game and fish hogs hip 



and thigh; 

 Give them hell from Maine to Texas, 

 Bang them on the solar plexus, 

 And — here's hoping you may never, never 



die. 



I am ready to do whatever I have time to 

 and can do to protect our game. It is a 

 great shame to have it slaughtered by per- 

 sons who have only one selfish desire, to 

 get all they can for themselves. The amount 

 of game in this country is sufficient to give 

 all who wish to hunt a fair amount if this 

 useless slaughter could be stopped. I have 

 stopped spring shooting entirely and would 

 like to see every sportsman and all others do 

 likewise. It is a great mistake to disturb 

 any game at or near mating time. 



C. G. Baker, Denver, Col. 



IN ANSWERING ADS ALWAYS 

 MENTION RECREATION. 



