Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-10-06
INCREASE OF FISH FOOD.


INCREASE OF FISH FOOD.
One of the great benefits to be derived from
the science of fish culture is the acclimatiza.
tion of valuable species in waters where they
have hitherto been known, and where the in
digerious fish wero only of worthless species
Until within the last eighteen years the Poto-
mac, above tideWatcr with the exception OF
catfish, only produced suckers, clubs, roach,
supfsh and small fry. Al engineer by the
name of Stabler caught fifteen or twenty
pounds OF black bass in Wheeling creek, a
tributary OF the Ohio, and, putting them into
bag net, which he placed 10 his water tank,
transported them across tho Allegheny noun
at Cumberland. Since that time these fish
have not only increased wonderfully in that
river, but have penetrated every tributary both
on the Virginia and Maryland side as far down
as tidewater, furnishing in the aggregate many
tons OF wholesome and palpitable animal food.
The sport these very game fish furnish to the
angler is alluded to in Mr. Norris book on fish
culture 10. 2l2.) Five years ago, in the neigh
borhood of Williamsport, above Harper's Fer
ry, three anglers, one day, fishing nine hours,
took 326 pounds, tie largest fish weighing
nearly six pounds.
We learn that the enterprise of stocking the
Delaware with these fish has been commenced
by few anglers and public spirited gentlemen.
Irstead of fifteen or twenty pounds they pro.
pose placing four or five hundred brood fish in
the river, somewhere about Eastou. This lib.
eral stocking of the Delaware will produce
proportionately a more speedy return ln food
and sport.
1t is proposed to prohibit, by legal enactment,
the taking of these fish and their progeny for
FIVE years. BY the expiration of that time,
with so plentiful sowing, We may hope to
bring the productive power of the Delaware to
the point which it has taken the Potomac
eighteen years to attain.
The acc!matization of fish extends far back
in the history of industrial pursuits in China
and Japan. England isindebted to other coun-
tries for its pike, its carp and delicious gray
ling, which were introduced from the continent
of Europe by the monks some centuries before
the days of Isaac Walton. Although the geo
graphical range of the salmon ends some de.
grees north of the Delaware, we think it would
be an experiment we'll worthy of the small ex-
pense of money and time it would incur to try
to accimatze that splendid and delicious fish
in our noble PHILADELPHIA Record
DlvERs1rIcATIoN OF FARMING INDUSTRY
The Commissioner OF Agriculture, In recent
report recommends that the farmers OF the
country diversity it's agriculture as a means OF
correcting the Irregularities now so common.
There are always exceptional years, those in
which some particular crop will fail to certain
extent, causing scarcity and high prlces.-
High prices usually stimulate over production,
and the consequence is low prices Tor two or
three wears, when the industry is directed into
new channel, to run through similar cycle.
Take the South as an illustration. Its Industry
has in the main been directed IN one channel
cotton. It's food has been procured from the
North, while the bulk CT it should have been
raised by the side Of the cotton. The South
would be stronger. more independently 10 OIL
versiy it's agricultural labor. At the Westthere
are sections where corn is the exclusive crop:
others where the same is true of wheat. Now,
if there were more discrimination in the mat
ter, the farmer, in the long run, would be the
gamer. Prices would be more regular, and
there would not be half the opportunity tor
speculatiop that exists now. A variety OF crops
will eaualize production year by year; II IN one
season one product is scarce, there Will be
something to take its blacc. Agricul ulture, to
be successful, needs discrimlnatlVe Judgment
at the helm. ---
THE BURNING WELL.-Elliott e. Co., who
have been drilling holes into the plantations
around here, have got into trouble at last We
told them last summer that they had better
be careful how they bored down where they
were not acquainted. In boring a we'll on Wade
Hampton's plantation on Lake Washington,
last week, they struck fire, and for nine days
now this we'll has been burning. Mr. Shanks,
who drove the we'll, says that he made tour
attempts to drill a well, aud each time, at the
depth of forty feet, would meet such res st.
ancc that he could 80 no farther. From the
last ono there was such an escape OF gas as TO
attract his attention, and merely tor experl-
ment he applied lighted match to the gas,
when it instantly iguited, burning wltha steady
flame OF great brilliance. 1t is pat out by
tanning the flame, but will relight at the touch
of match. The gas, when bottled, burns
readily, and has a sulphurous smell. AT each
of the wells the same phenomena occurred,
and the matter is attracting much attention 10
the neighborhood Mr. Shanks visited the
spot nine days after he drove the we'll, and
found it still burning. We presume General
Hampton will have Investigations made to as
certain the cause of the strange occurrence
Greenrillc Republican.
10 Indiana, a husband, after spree, was
led home by one CT his friends, who, alter pos
ing him safely on bis doorsteps, rang tue bell,
and re,rested somewhat OBVIOUSLY TO the OPP
postc side OF the street, TO See II 1t would be
answered. Promptly the porte was 'ouvert,
ed'' and tho fond spouse, who had waited up
for her truant, bcheld him in all his toddlress.
'Why, Walter, is this you p Yes, my
dear. IVY hat in the world has kept you SO!
Been out on little tuln with boys, my
d-d-arllng. "Why, Waiter. you are lutoxi-
Gated y "I Yes, dear, estimate that So y
"What on earth made you get 50 drunk. Aud
why; oh, why DO you como home to mc in
this dreadful state?' Because, my darling
all th other placer shut up"
A singular wedding took place in Morgan