242 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
when liver is plentiful the food is mixed two-thirds mush and one-third liver. When 
this kind of meat is scarce it is mixed to suit the amount of it available. I have fed 
this vegetable and meat mixture to trout at the Wytheville Station for 13 years, and 
it has proven entirely satisfactory. Since its introduction at Wytheville it has also 
been tried by Mr. VV. F. Page, superintendent of the Neosho station, and others, with 
satisfactory results. For grinding’ or chopping the liver, I do not know of a machine 
that is equal to the Enterprise meat-chopper. 1 have had oue of these machines in 
use for eight or ten years, and I hud that it does its work in the best possible manner, 
as there are no strings or chunks left to choke the fish. There are several sizes of 
this machine made, with extra perforated plates, having different- sized holes, from 
one-twelfth to one-fourth of au inch in diameter, so that the meat may be prepared 
coarse or hue, to sirit the size of hsh. For the small fry it will be necessary to use 
the plate having the smallest holes and to grind the food over two or three times, until 
it is made hue enough for use. 
Feeding the Jitih . — The method generally practiced is to throw the food into the 
pond by handfuls, or by dipperfuls. I consider this method altogether wrong, as it 
causes the hsh to come together in great numbers and in a rough-and-tumble manner; 
and in struggling with open mouths to get a bite of the food they often scar themselves 
up, injure oue another’s eyes, and sometimes j)luck them from their sockets. This I 
consider one of the main causes of blindness among iioud-fed hsh. The metliod of 
feeding which I would recommend is to walk along the ijoud its entire length to the 
upper end; the hsh will soon follow; then take a handful of the food and throw it 
underhanded down the pond ; this will cause the food to skim along the surface of the 
water, come to pieces, and scatter in every direction. The hsh will follow the food 
and take up what was thrown out, and then return to the head of the iiond to watch 
for the next handful. Eepeat the operation again and again until the work is hnished. 
In following this method of feeding, the hsh are not brought together in au abruiit 
manner, the food is well scattered over a good iiortiou of the i)ond, and the hsh are 
all heading in the same direction while they are feeding, thereby saving their eyes, and 
avoiding bruises and scars. The amount of food for a given number of trout must 
depend uiiou the size of the hsh and the temperature of the water. Fish will not take 
food as freely in a low temperature as they will when the water is warmer. With water 
ranging in temperature from 50 to 60 degrees I would recommend for 1,000 yearling 
hsh, ranging in size from 3 to 5 inches long, about three-fourths of a pound for their 
daily ration, while for the same number ranging in size from 8 to 12 inches about 12 
pounds per day will be required. I j)refer to have my hsh fed twice a day, at regular 
hours morning and evening, giving half of the above-stated quantity at each feeding. 
This will keep the hsh in a thrifty and growing condition. As the hsh increase in size 
the amount of food should be increased proportionately. 
Amount of water necessary for a sjyatoning-pond . — There is no rule, so far as I know, 
that will apply to this matter at all times and in all places. It must necessarily be 
governed by the temperature of water, size and shape of the pond, and the number 
and size of the hsh to be supported, the amount of shade, etc. For a spawning-pond, 
such as I have described, where the water is plentiful, I would give at least 200 
gallons per minute. Not that I consider that amount necessary for the support of the 
hsh, but the ])ond will be kept cleaner and the hsh will enter the raceway better at 
si)awniug time. Under no circumstances would I give, with water ranging from 50 to 
