Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-08-23
BULLETIN, VOL. 8, NO. 8.

years ago, only seven shad per day 10
now the average. As everybod,
knows something about the salmon.
we need say but little about it. 1t i.
the most perfect and beautiful of fishes
that swim in the sea in the northern
latitudea, and comes up into the estu.
aries Of the rivers to spawn. and re-
turns to its birthplace like the shad
annually for that interesting purpose.
They have not been very plenty in the
New England rivers for many years.
but are occasionally found there. and
where no distractions prevent they
will 60 up q stream several hundred
miles TO find the shallow places they
like. Down in the British provinces
the salmon are abundant, and on the
Pacific coast, this fishing is reported
TO be ahead Of any other section of
the continent. We hope this is true.
for tn. demand for this luxury will in.
ts-4ense -s Ill. country becomes devel-
oped, and lney will all be wanted.
But the shad is not 50 we'll known.
except to people who have resided
near the sea coast. This fish appears
as soon as the spring fairly opens in
estuaries Of the southern rivers a. far
south as Savannah, Georgia, and they
travel northward with the season, and
visit in order every stream that has
previously been their home or birth
place. Many thousands are caught
on the coast Of North Carolina every
spring; and all the upobstructed riv-
ers-the Susquehanna, the Delaware.
and the Hudson-swarm with them
still, and all the streams down in
Maine and the British provinces. In
tact, the great fishing ground for that
is in Nova Scotia and New Bruins
wick. This fish is an important arti-
Gle Of commerce, like the whi.efish
of the lakes; and its disappearance
from any stream where it has been q
sort Of reliance for the people has
caused much regret. Consequently
Massachusetts has appropriated mon
ey to build fsh-ways by the dams on
the Merrimack so that the shad may
have passage way past the obstruc-
ton, which is too high for them to
surmont. These have proved success
full so far. and stringent law forbid
ding. under heavy penalties, the
catching of shad for FIVE years will
probably give a sufficient chance for
restocking the river. New Hamp-
shire has followed suit, 90 IS to help
in the matter and, ifgood laws will do
anything towards multiplying fish in
the Merrimack, the people will in .
few years rejoice in their old privilege
of seining the chad.
Fish culture in ancient times and
among the Romans was great AIT
and source of much income to the
heavy landowners. In more modern
times. the ocean having been drawn
upon for the chief supply, the pro-
pagation of fish has received but little
attention. Almost all our rivers aud
all our inland lakes Of fresh water
abound with many varieties of good,
wholesome fish, the trade in that article
of food is immense, and the lake fish.
cries grow more important every year.
Yet, no doubt, the wisdom now need
ed at the East to repeoplc the old riv-
ers with their finny Inhabitants may
be necessary here among US in due
t.ne; and when the Yankees can af-
ford to ship few of their shad out
this way we shall be happy 10 see
them for, though it may be many
centuries before the United States
will, like China, have a population
crowding upon the heels of the supply
Of TODD, yet all the arts SO familiar 10
the old countries for outstanding or
increasing that supply should be
known and studied against the time
of need. knowledge is power when
it can be used it cannot be used, if
not in possession; the more we know,
the more ready to face any demands
made upon our resources. To multi
ply ways for variety Of food is certain
ly deserving high rank IS an employ
ment among men.
The fish trade in the East is one of
the chief dependencies for commerce,
a. the West India Islands are y
splendid market fer the Goldfish, mack.
erel. shad. and some varieties Of poor
fish, hardly eaten by the people there.
Why cannot trade be opened in
Cuba for cur white6sh from the lakes?
If it has not been tried, who will break
the ice p Chicago Journal Of Com
naerce.