April 1, 1901.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
689 
embryo trout jusfc euieige l from the ova with 
the umbilical sac which provides it with i^s fiist 
nourishment : a very quaint-looking object 
indeed and delicate in the extreme. For the 
first two days after the ova had been placed 
in the hatching boxes, a considerable number 
of bad eggs had to be removed, an operation 
requiring the most careful manipulation : a certain 
number of "alevins" were also liatched out. But 
for ths next eight days tlie number of white, and 
burst eggs dropped to an average of between 20 
and 30 daily and the hatching out ceased almost 
entirely. 
On 29th December, 1900, the pipe water was sud- 
denly cut otf without warning for a period of four 
hours and I had to put my servants on to carry 
water from a well in the compound in order to 
maintain a steady flow through the hatching boxes. 
On the re-opening of the pipe supply a rush of very 
dirty water followed, ovei flowing the filter-boxes 
and it took another four hours' work before we 
could get the deposit removed from the ova and 
hatching boxes and then only with the loss of many 
broken eggs. The burst eggs seem in many cases 
to be due to the "alevins" trying to hatch out head 
first, the result, no doubt, of the shaking the ova has 
been subjected to. Sometimes we are able to 
assist nature, but in most cases the eggs are lost 
when this takes place. The rise in temperature 
when using well water hurried on the hatching 
which went on much more quickly until the night 
of 7th lanuary 1901 when the water was again cut 
off from 10 p.ni. t'U 9 a.m. on the 8th, during which 
time a 
CONSTANT .STREAM OF WELL WATER WAS 
MAINTAINED 
by buckets. The change of temperature had again 
a marked effect and the hatching out was com- 
pleted with the exception of some 20 or 30 ova, 
most of which ultimately proved to be bad. The 
change also had a bad effect on the " alevins" and 
nearly 100 dead ones had to be removed when the 
grills were lifted after the hatching out was com- 
pleted. For the next few days the casualties did 
not exceed four or five daily till the 11th January 
when the pipe water was for the third time cut off 
and well water had again to be used, causing 
some 30 deaths. At tliis stage of the proceedings, 
although the bulk of the "alevins" seemed fairly 
healthy, they remained bunched up in a torpid 
state at tlie lower eml of the hatching boxes; some 
however seemed to suffer from dropsy or blue swel- 
ling, but as they appeared to do best when left 
alone, I did not attempt to treat these to the pin- 
prick remedy suggested by some rearers. 
On the morning of 19th January, heavy snow 
having fallen during the night, 1 took out 65 dead 
"alevins," the cause of death being apparently 
dropsy ; and the climatic change had evidently 
hastened the end of the delicate ones. On the fol- 
lowing day 35 dead ones were found and from this 
time forward till the 7th February 357 in all were 
removed. 
On the 7th February, the fish having to a great 
extent absorbed their umbilical sacs, I commenced 
feeding with excellent results, and from that date 
I have only lost 24 fish in all, although there are 
still some deformities which can hardly be ex- 
pected to survive. I estimate, however, that there 
are now 
NOT FAR SHORT OF 5,000 HEALTHY FRY IN THE 
HATCHING BOXES, 
and the fact is therefore established beyond all 
possibility of dispute that trout ova can be success- 
fully imported into Kashmir. I should mention 
that on 16th January and again on 29th January I 
found a large shrimp in the hatching boxes. These 
had no doubt been introduced with the well water; 
but wiietherthey had penetrated the filter screens 
as tiny microbes, or had climbed over the screens in 
a more advanced stage it is difficult to say. I have 
little doubt that they were fattening on the help- 
less "alevins" when discovered. 
On the 3rd, 4th, 5tli, and 7th February I took 
out smaller shrimps dead. In these cases I think 
the tables had been turned and the shriraiis had 
been killed by the stronger "alevins," These fresh- 
water shrimps wliich are found in nearly all Kash- 
mir waters will prove excellent food for the trout 
hereafter, and I think there need be no anxiety as 
to the food supply if once the fish are able to take 
care of themselves. The experiments made by the 
5th Gurkhas under Captain Kitchen's direction in 
1896 have proved that 
TROUT THRIVE AND INCREASE IN SIZE RAPIDLY 
WHEN PUT INTO A SUITABLE STREAM, 
and if that is the case at Abbotabad the same or 
even better result, may be hoped for in Kashmir. 
The first stage of the experiment may now be re- 
garded as a success, but there are great difficulties 
still to be surmounted before your readers will have 
a chance of luring my speckled beauties with an 
artful fly. Indeed the second stage of tlie experi- 
ment, cow about to be undertaken, gives me almost 
as much anxiety as the initial one. The rearing 
tanks are situated at a distance of 12 miles from 
the hatching boxes, and I fear I shall lose a lot of 
fry in transporting them to their new home, livery 
care will be taken, but only those who have tried 
it know how difficult it is to guard against loss. I 
can only hope for the best. In the meantime 
Captain Godfrey writes that our good friend the 
Duke of Bedford is sending out 
ANOTHER SUPPLY OF OVA, WHICH IS DUE IN 
BOMBAY ON 22ND MAECH. 
If we are able to afford the funds, the same care 
will be taken to get this consignment up safely as 
was bestowed on the last one. When on this sub- 
ject I may mention that the Punjab Banking Com- 
pany, Srinagar, are the Treasurers for the 
" Kashmir Fishing Club ;" and that subscription's 
are urgently wanted from Messes, Clubs and private 
purses : bis dat quicito clat. There are many people 
to whom I would like to exprees the thanks of the 
Fishing Club : to the Steam Navigation Company 
who brought out the ova, and especially tlie chief 
officer of the vessel in which it came ; to the 
Customs and Railway authorities in Bombay, and 
to Mr Dhanjhibhoy, the proprietor of the Imperial 
Carrying Company ; but perhaps I had better leave 
thi> pleasing duty to the Honorary Secretary, 
Coaptain Godfrey, who is expected to reach Karachi 
on his return from furlough about the 15th March 
—Srinagar. F. L. MITCHELL, 
Pioneer, March 4 th. 
Coca-Leaves are decidedly scarce. There is a 
good inquiry for Bolivian leaves, but there are no 
good green to be had. The nominal value is from 
is Id to Is 2d per lb. Sales of Truxillo have been 
made this week at Is 3d per lb, leaving a stock 
of less than 5 cwt in ha^nd.— Chemist and Drug- 
gist, Feb, 23. 
