The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-15
VOL. XVI---N0. 16.
Propagation of fish.

Information OF the highest importance on
the artificial propagation of fish was laid be.
fore the late meeting of the British .isSocia-
ton. Experiments with salmon, made at
Perth, Scotland, have been extremely sue
ccssful, Three hundred boxes were laid
down in twenty five parallel rows, each box
partly filed with clean gravel and pebbles.
Tn the 23d of December, 1853, 500, 900 ova
were deposited in the boxes. On the 3lst
OF March, 1854, the first oyum was observed
TO be hatched, and in April and May the
greater portion had come TO life, and were
at large in the boxes; in June they were
admitted into the pond, their average size
being about an inch and half in length.
From their admission into the pond the f-v
were fed daily with boiled liver, rubbed
small by the hand. by spring of the pre-
sent year they had increased in size to the
Average ol, three. and stsur inches in length.
sOn tho I'd or May meeting nf the Commit
tee was held at the pond to consider the
eApediency of OBTAINING the fry for another
year or allowing them to depart, but it was
thought they had not assumed the migrate
ry dress I'LL the 18th, when the Sluicc com
munlcatlng with the river Tay was opened,
and every facility FOR cgrcsS afforded Con-
trary to expectation, none of the fry mani
Tested any inclination to leave the pond un-
I'll the 2ith os May, when the larger and
more mature of the smeltS, after having
held themselves detached from the others
Tor several days, went off in body. 4
series OF similar emgrations took place until
tui' hall the fry had left the pond, and de-
sccnded the sluicc to the Iay. II has long
been subject Of controversy whether the
Try OF the salmon assume the migratory
dress in the second or third year of their
existence. SO favorable an Opportunity of
deciding the question as that afforded by
this experiment, was not to be overlooked.
In order to test the matter in the faircst
possible way, it was resolved to mark por.
ton of the Smc.tS in such manner that
they might easily be detected when return
ing as grilsc. \ temporary tank, into which
the fish must necessarily descend, was con-
structed at the junction Of the sluice with
the lay; and as the shoals successivcly left
the pond, about one in every hundred was
marked by the abscisson of the second dor
sal fin, \ greater number were marked on
the 29th OF May than on any other dav. in
all about 200 or 1900. The result has
proved highly satisfactory and curiew-
W Nithin two months Of their liberation,
Ir"nly ,,.rnnnl tno OF the young fish so marked
" NV" /" VIZ -'atr uf smells an thoir ,v., =,
the sea- have been, on ,be,r ."'' ""l u
grafton up the river, recaptufea r,.,, IN ',a'
fully examined; the conclusions arrived AZ
are most gratifying, and proved what has
heretofore appeared almost incredible, the
rapid growth Of the Young fish during their
short sQjourn in the salt water Those taken
first weighed . to ,! lbs, then Increasing
progressively to : and lbs, whilst the ono
captured on the lst Of July weighed no
less than 81 lbs. In all these fish the wound
caused by marking was covered with skin
and IN some coating Of scales had formed
over the part.
The experiment has afforded satisfactory
proof that a portion at least of the fry Of
the salmon assume the migratory dress and
descend to the sea shortly after the close of
the first year of their existence; and what
Is iaf more important in practical point Of
view, II has also demonstrated the practi-
cability of rearing salmon of marketable
value within twenty months OF the deposit
ton Of the ova.
There csq be no doubt that the quantity.
OF salmon las we'll as other fish,) may be.
enormously increased by the artificial breed,l
ing process, and we regard the expert.
mcnts OF great Importance. At Cleveland,
Ohio, success has attended the first expert
ments Of DIR. Garlick and his coadiutor, who
may do a vast deal for their fellow men by
fully populatIng our western lakes In the
salmon regions east and west, the subject
deserves attention. And there is little
doubt that in neighborng rivers, where
salmon are now unknown, they might bc
thus successfully int oduccd. How mnch
more useful would it be if some of our
sportsmcn would take up the subject, in
stead of deyoting their hearts, bodies, and
time to the poor enjoyment of shooting USE
iul birds ds-Uorticuitgria.