Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1883 — THE FATHER OF FISH-CULTURE. [ARTICLE]

THE FATHER OF FISH-CULTURE.

Seth Green** Idea*. Abont the Finny Trllx, and Some of Hl* Varied Fxperinnee*. [From the Turf, Fieldland Farm.] “How did you ever come to devise this scheme?” “I have been working ak it ever since I was large enough to bend a pin.” The above remark was addressed to Mr. Seth Green, the veteran, fish culturist, who is known to the entire world, and his reply indicates the extent of his tabors. “When I was quite young,” he continued, “I womd l.e on the limbs of trees that reached over the water entire afternoons, watching tue movements of the fi»h and study mg their habits. In this way I discovered many characteristics which were before unknown. I saw, as every observer must see, tue destructive elements that are warring against fish, and I realized that, unless something were done, the lire in the streams of this country would become extinct. To counteract this disastrous end became my life work,, and I am happy to say I have seen its accomplishment. ” “Were you successful onthe start?” “No, indeed. Lp to that time all artificial attempts to hatch and. raise fish from the spawn had failed, aud. 1 was compelled to experiment in un entirely-new manner. The work was a careful and tedious one, but I finally succeeded, and. to-day I am able to hatch and raise fully 75 per cent of all spawn.” - “Enormous! Why, that is a larger percentage than either the vegetable or animal kingdoms produce in a natural condit on. ” “I know it, but we exercise the greatest care in the start, and guard the little fellows untii they become able to care tor themselves" The foregoing conversation occurred at Caledonia where the representative of this paper was paying a visit to the State fish hatcheries. It has been his privilege to report very many interesting sights within the past' twenty-five years, but the view presented hers exceeds in interest anything ever before attempted. “How many fish are there in those ponds. Mr. Green?” “As we have never attempted to count them it will be Impossible to say. They extend way up into the millions though. We shipped over 3,000,000 out of the ponds this year, and there seemed to be as many afterward as before. We have nearly every variety of the trout family and many hybrids.” * “You speak of hybrids, Mr. Green. What do you mean by that?” “I have experimented for years in crossing the breed of the various fish, and am still working upon it. We cross the female salmon trout with the male brook trout, and thus produce a hybrid. Then we cross the hybrid with the brook trout, which gives us three-quarter brook trout and one-quarter salmon trout.. This makes one of the finest fishes in the world' He has all the habits of the brook trout, lives in both streams and lakes, develops vermillion spots on his sides, rises readily to a fly, is tar more vigorous and fully dnethird larger than ordinary 1 .'rook trout of the same age. The possibilities of development in the fish world are great and we are rapidly ascertaining what they are. ” As the man of news watched the countenance of Mr. Green while he was giving the above account, he could not but feel that he was in the presence of one of the few investigators who, from a rich and •life-long experience, brmg great benefit to the world. Let the reader imagine a strong and stalwart frame, surmounted by a head strongly resembling that of Socrates, and covered’with a white, silky beard and luxuriant gray hair. Seth Green, the father of fish-culture, is a picture of health, and the reporter could not help remarking sb. “if you tad seen me the last winter and spring, young man, you might have thought differently,” said the veteran.

“How is that? One would think, to look at you, that sickness was something of which you knew nothing.” “And so it was until last winter. I went down into Florida in the fall to see what kind of fish they had in that State and study their habits, and was attacked with malaria in its severest form, and when I came home I realized. for the iirst time in my life, that I was sick My symptoms were terrible. I had dull, aching pains in my head, limbs and around my back Mynappetite was wholly gone, and l felt a lack of energy such as I had often heard described but had never experienced Any one who has ever had a severe attack of malaria can apnreciate my condition. I went,to bed and remained there all the spring, and if there everwas a sick man I was the one” “It seems hardly possible. How did you come to recover so completely?” “My brother, who had been afflicted by a severe kidney trouble and threatened with JBright’s disease, was completely cured by a remedy in which I had great confidence. I therefore tried the same remedy for my malaria, and am happy to say that l am a well man to-day, and through the instrumentality of Warner s Safe Cure, which I believe to be one of the most valuable of med o nes. Indeed, I see it is indorsed by the Un ted Stater Medical College of New fork, and that Dr. Gunn, Dean of thatinstitut on, has written a lons art cle concernng its value.” “And are you now as well as formerly?” “Apparently so. I keep the remedy on hand all the while, though, and do not hesitate to recommend it to others.” “One quest on moie. How many ponds of Ssh have you here, and how are they divided?” “Well, we have 43 ponds which are divided up as follows: 22 ponds of brook tro it, 2 ponds Of salmon trout, 4 of McCloud river or i-alnbo w trout, a ponds of German trOtiti' 3 of California mot.main trout, 2 ponds of hybrids, 4 of one-qharier salmon and threequarters brook trout, 2 ponds of gold fish, and 1 pond of Carp. Then we have what we ca.l the centennial pond or ‘happy family,’ consisting of crosses of different fish, including Kennebec salmon, Lund Locked s Imon, Caifornia 8 Imon, brook trout, sa mon trout and hybrids. These ish range in size f i om minnows to IU-pounders, and in age from one-and-one-half months to e even jears. I forgot to say, also, th it we have a ‘hospital’ pond, which is entirely empty, which speak* pretty well for a community of many millions. Indeed the w.iole secret of fish culture can be summed up in four things. Impregnation—rising no water. Plenty of food. Plenty ’of pure water and cleanliness. ” The numerous fish exhibitions which are taking place in all parts of Europe and the unusual interest which is being manifested jn this subject throughout the world all owe their origin tq the pi ocess above described as originated and conducted by Seth Green. It is certainly cause for congratulation to every American that this country produces so many men whose genius brings value to the world, and it is proof positive of the greatest merit that a remedy,even with such high standing as Warners Safe Cure is known to have, should be so strongly indorsed and recommended by one so reputable and reliable as Seth Green.