Cultvation of Trout and Tea.

Manawatu Herald, 12 August 1893, Page 3

Cultvation of Trout and Tea.

Mr Al Ferguson', a settler resident ol Birmingham, has proved hy a practical example that it is possible lor almost any farmer to cultivate fish for his private table quite ins easily 1 as vegetables from the kitchen garden. 'Mr Ferguson .constirnc'ted a dam* *<3ross a gulfy > and'ob'taihed a pond of about a chain around, being fed -by a Small stream issuihg'fronr a distant. Two yearsagb, .Jttt'pJarguson . obtained a supply of -ivjfs'- o$ ■■ American book trout* from "Maßterton, and stocked the jjoncl. *He gave the fish no food,; they'.lqbb famed s^jmre^ntiy^ pl.en.ijijfu} qp,p.j^y or flfe^ anal, ivo'rjns,' ..'li^st. the^^rst fish, was taken oiit o)f,the .tjiein, one of j.whioh in^aiured.O^-inches. long» On being ♦opened-, -one -of therti-' was seen* to "cdntaih' ,2pp^ .fully . devi^lop'pd ' egg>, w whict^q,tbV prove ' that prbpjagatiQn is gping on, t|n4 a r cops^hjb sjdppj maybe expec'tecf for table use'from '^il?Si? se^s *P^ # < '4^.9^/ W' e .^ y^ ars „ ago" Mr I'ergaspn planted a number >©F.tea> shrubs- of the Assam -variety, "fend as it became widely known not'a few people expressed an opinion that *l^ wfe^iwilmj^Hu^f ffie way they are flourishing lie will soqn haye'fo oonsider the question of drying^ ;■; He has about 150 plats alto • getheri and about 80, whiqh were prqparly transplanted, are now 15 inches high. The shrubs arrive , at maturity in about five years, and as six of them are said to grow leaves •enough to supply a family, Mr Pergqsso^ will iv a!, ;yeav .or two have efrougb «nd to" spare", providing *he •eatTt&rry out the drying process ebohpmically. There is little, fear j now 'but that the shrubs .will come ill right, having prospered up to .the- present in the open, without suffering the slightest from frost. — Advocate.