The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-06 00:00:00

FISH CULTURE IN .AMERICA.

Seth Green is likely to prove one of the greatest
benefactors to his native land. His success is an
instance of what one man can accomplish who de-
votes his mind earnestly and with his whole heart
to a single idea. Fish culture, more especially shad,
is the object that engrosses Seth Green. Although
not officially appointed, he is working South, and
has got as far as the James River, accompanied
by another Commissioner, Robert B. Roosevelt
(leaving two behind in New York State), where
they have been endeavouriug to instruct the in-
habitants, and to induce them to carry out the
system so successful in Connecticut. When the
Commissioners reached the James River the
waters happened to be muddy, and all that could
be done was to leave a small hatching box, with
full iustructions, in the hands of the fishermen
who showed the moat interest and intelligence. On
the Potomac the Commissioners were more success-
ful, although the heavy rains interfered with the
work. A box of impregnated spawn was put into
the river at Mr. Evans' fishery, near the Long
Bridge, at three o'clock in the afternoon, 13th May,
a few days after the young fish were visible in the
spawn, when examined with a magnifying glass.
The water is so cold that the hatching will require
probably from four to six days. With the tempera-
ture of water at .75 degrees, the average period of
hatching on the Continent last year was about
sixty hours. When last heard from Mr. Green
was at Gibson's fishery, forty miles below Wash-
ington. He had with him a large coil of prepared
wire netting, and expected to do something in the
line of fish culture which would produce an effect.
The fishermen are watching his operations with
interest, and find the process so simple and inex-
pensive, that if they see the young fish hatch out
successfully, they propose to save the spawns at
their fisheries hereafter, and reinforce the river with
shad of their own hatching. Some 30,000 spawn
are taken from each fish. His experiments on the
Connecticut have shown that out of 10,000 spawn
all but seven may be saved. The Southern
fishermen earnestly deplore the diminution of
the catch, but fear that in artificial cultivation,
unless protected by the laws, their neighbours
might capture what they rear. Seth Green intends
to proceed North in concert of action with the
shad ; he must have ripe fish to operate on, and
the saason is later in the colder latitudes. From
the Potomac he will proceed to the Susquehanna,
thence to the Delaware, so that he will reach the
Hudson in June, whence he will proceed farther
east in July and August. By these means thousands
of millions of shad may be added to the supply, and
some must reap the benefit. The effects may require
two years for development, but they are inevitable.
Mr. Myers introduced a joint resolution into the
Legislature of Pennsylvania, appropriating $2,00
to defray the necessary expenses for experiments by
Seth Green in the artificial propagation of shad and
other fish in the rivers of the United States, the,
money to be expended under the supervision 01
F. E. Spinner, Treasurer of the United States, which
was referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
A movement is about to be made to induce Congress
to take up the subject with an appropriation t°
enable Seth Green to devote his exclusive attention
to fish culture in the United States, and he has just
hatched a few in the basin in front of the Capitol to
show the Congressmen how easy artificial propagtv
Lion is, and at what slight cost and trouble the
rivers of the Union may be again re-stocked.

Births.

---
BENIGNANT —On the 4th inst., at 28, Langham-street, Port'
land-place, the wife of Signor Bevignani, of a sou and
heir.

HA;;EY—On the 4th inst., the wife of Walter-AlerS'
Hankey, Esq., of a son.
3PLAILEN—On the 4th inst., at Stirling., Scotland, Mrs. Al*
M`Laren, Chohueley Park, Highgate, London, of a sou'

Marriages.
LEGGE - GARNIER—On the 2d inst., at Harrow, Charles (1.
L,,,.gge to Mary, daughter of the late Dean of Lincoln
and Lady Caroline .*arnier.
STAMP—PETEILS -On the 4th inst., at St. Luko's Churel"
Chelsea, Edward B. Stamp, of ?9, High-street, Haor
stead, eldest son of the late E. B. Stamp, of Newcastle:
upon-Tyne, to Alice, daughter of the lab, John Pet I.'
of Sloane-square, Chelsea, and West-Mll, Waudswortl"