ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF THE RAINBOW TROUT. 
241 
sluiceway, wliicli taps the ]-eceiver,by drawing the gate, shown at D. I prefer to have 
tlie sluiceway (E, plate 8!)) covered and led off under ground to a general waste-ditch, oi' 
it can lead to any poiut desired. 
Baceicay.—The pond should be coustructed with a spawning-race 1 by 4 feet, and 
about 25 feet long, placed at the upper end of the pond, as shown at H. This should 
be cut in its depth (1 foot) from the top of the pond, as shown in the illustration. 
Three division boards (shown at E), about 12 feet long and of suitable width to come 
within 2 inches of the surface of the water when the pond is tilled, should be tirmly 
fixed to the bottom of the pond. The object of these boards is to form four avenues 
leading to the raceway, so that one or two pugnacious fish (partly stripped spawners 
are the worst) can not command the entire approach to the raceway and heej) back 
spawners inclined to enter. There should be a dam across in the mouth of the raceway, 
about 4 inches high (shown at G), for the purpose of bringing the water to that depth 
in the lower end, so that spawners that enter may have suflicient water to swim 
around in and feel free, and not be inclined through fear to return to the pond. 
Depth of u'ater in the pond . — The water in the pond should be of sufficient depth 
to bring its surface within 6 inches of the top of the dam in the raceway; this will 
give the fish, in entering the raceway, a jump of about 7 inches, allowing 1 inch for 
the depth of water on the dam in the raceway. I have found that distance more 
satisfactory than any other; at that distance spawners will enter freely, and withoiit 
difficulty, and only spawners will go up. If a jump of much less tlian 7 inches is 
given, so that fish can enter the raceway without some exertion on their i)art, fish 
of all classes will go up, many apparently through mere curiosity, with no inclination 
to spawn. This is very undesirable, as the spawners prefer to be by themselves ; if 
they did not they would probably not go ui) the raceway at all. 
Stoching the pond with breeders . — For a pond such as I have described (15 by 50 feet) 
I would recommend from 1,000 to 1,500 fish; this, however, is a ciuestion that every 
trout-culturist must decide for himself, as there are several things which should govern 
it, such as the size of the fish, water supply, temperature of water, amount of shade, 
etc. The fisli will not thrive so well if crowded. As regards the prox)ortion of sexes in 
stocking the spawning-pond, I prefer the ratio of two-thirds females and one-third males. 
I consider that a larger number of males are a disadvantage. They are in the way 
iu every respect; better cull them out at spawning time and give the room they occupy 
to more females. I also strongly recommend culling the breeding stock every year 
aud throwing out all the males that will not be needed for the next season. Keep 
only young males when you have them; they are preferable. Throw out the blind 
and emaciated fish of both sexes ; they can not be of any service to you. It is only 
the perfect specimens that it pays to keep. 
Food. — Trout, as is well known, are not naturally vegetarians; in fact, they are 
generally supposed to be strictly carnivorous, and when a plentiful and cheap meat 
diet can be gotten, I do not think it can be improved upon; but this can not always 
be obtained in sufficient qiiantities and at a price that will justify its exclusive use. 
Ill that case I would recommend a mixed diet of liver and mush, iirepared as follows: 
Make a mush of wheat shorts, or middlings, and boiling water, by stirring the shorts 
into the boiling water until it is as thick as it can be mixed well. As soon as it is cool 
it is ready for use. This mush will keep for several days, even in warm weather, by 
keeiiiiig it in a cool place. After grinding or chopiiing the liver fine, mix in the mush 
thoroughly, in any desired proportion, up to four-fifths of the whole. At Wytheville, 
r. C. B. 1896— 1C 
