The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-04-26
From the UIicG Herald.
FIRH GnLTURE,

FISH CULTURE.
The subject of fish-cnlture is OF late
years attracting good deal of atten-
tion, From the production OF fish in
private fish-ponds, enterprise has ex-
tended until 1t now embraces the project
of stocking all our lakes. rivers and
brooks with the finny tribes most suit
able for the food of man. At first
Thought, the undertaking seems a gil
oantic if not an impossible one; but in
the light of more modern experiments
and discoveries, il appears entirely feas.
ible. The improved methods OF hatch
ing the spawn, and the facility with
which the process can be carried on,
render it reasonable to suppose that in
a few years, with proper management
and appropriate protective legislation,
we may render our waters as prolific
as they were when they furnished such
plentiful supplies OF palatab BILE and
healthy food for the early settlers. AT
a trifing expense, millions on millions
of eggs can be Matched annually, and
their tiny products sent forth amid the
waters to furnish food for the larger
fish, and fatten them for the table, while
the millions that does escape the fate of
so many little fish, will grow up to in
turn f4tten on their smaller fellows and
furnish food for man. In this way, it
Is estimated that million trout fit for
market eau pe IuEhlSneO AoI lAe Cou-
paratively trihing outlay oftwo hum
dred dollars.
Aside from the luxury of having
nice fresh fish for our tables, it is be.
lieved that fish culture will pay, not
only as a business speculat and a
matter of economy, but in the promo
ton of the general health OF the COM
munity, which now severely suffers for
the lack of the very materials in our
food furnished by liberal diet of fish,
such as our forefathers enjoyed, with
sounder bodies IL not sounder minds.
The high prices of food, especially OF
meats, not only very materially en-
nance the expenses of living, but put 1t
out of reach of maPy to provide them
selves with the kind and variety OF food
absolutely necessary to the enjoyment
of perfect health. But the production of
an ample supply of fish, for which our
waters are admirably adapted, would
at once furnish to all classes, at mode
rate price, an article of diet admitted
by chemists and physicians to be sur
passed by few others for the nourish-
ment of the muscular system and tis-
sues, and by none for supply ing the
requisite phosphates for making bone
and keeping up the brain and nervous
system.
1t is the conclusion of the best scien-
tific minds of the day that we consume
100 muCn CAEDOudCeOuS 4OOu1 "ulCh
furnishes heat aud fat, and too little
heterogeneous food, containing in its
soluble phosphates for the
supply OF brain, nerve and bone mate
rial. The result is that we are deficient
in active and enduring muscle, our
teeth decay early, we are nervous and
weak, and subject to all kinds of fevers
and intlammations If this theory be
correct, we eat too much boiled flour
in its various preparations, too many
potatoes, too much pork, butter and
other fats, and too much sugar; while
we eat too little lean meat, poultry, fish,
eggs, cheese, and other heterogeneous
foods. OF the latter, cheese furnishes
the largest amount of nitrogen-a half
a pound supplying five ounces of nitro
gen, or material enough for hardy, en-
during muscle for the laborer, for twen-
ty. four hours; while fish furnishes a
little less supply OF material tor agile
and active but less enduring muscle,
and much larger quantity of phos-
phorous for the brain and nerves.
Cheese is therefore better adapted to the
wants of the labOrer, and fish to
the needs OF the professional man
to all who indulge In sedentary
habits and tax the energy of the
brain. But the chief value of fish as food
is the fact that 1t furnishes an abund-
auce of the soluble phosphates for bone,
duction, from the stocking of our wa
tiers, would not only give us cheaper
making diet, but one that would
prevent the too easy prostration of our
nervous systems and preserve our
bones from decaying, while doing
away with the necessity for consuming
80 much bread, potatoes, pork, &C., be-
cause cheaper and plentier than beef,
mutton, veal and other heterogeneous
food.
In business point of view, supply
ing fresh fish for the markets would
give employment to large number of
persons; while others, having the pro-
per water facilities, could engage in the
production OF fish in private way, as
they do now other articles of food, for
The expense would be so
trihing, that large share of the pro-
ceeds would be clear profit. That fish
if as successful as it now bids
fair to be. will pay, both pecuniarily
and hygienically, there can be little
doubt. We therefore trust the eXperi-
ments now being made will be pushed
to the point of complete success, or OF
demonstrating the-impracticabilit of
fish culture on SO grand and liberal a
scale. But as better supply of fish
seems to be a desideratum, we have
strong hopes OF the most satisfactory
raHultS from the nraaant efforts.