Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-02-01

10Y - SSn1ssI, rre.oerg, ana en-
experienced nsh eulturist Of Germany, TO ac-
company all these eggs 20 America, 50 as 70 be
assured Of the best attention for them on che
voyage: 1hese YIN probably have Brcfnen
abcut the nth Of the present month, and be here
before its Close. The magnitude OF this trans
,ss'on nay Be UNDERSTOOD r5sm the fact ..
not he kss than so rounds. Drs,ro,s ~, ~
having still larger number available for the
rxperiment With the salmon, I ehyagsd the
services of Mr.. Livingston Stone, wefi-known
j fish cuitnrist, OF New Hampshire, and directed
him to proceed 70 California with q view OF
securing egg of the Sacramento species, which
Is different from that Of the Atlantic coast, but
in its season, not inferior in eatable qualities.
Although it wac thought the spawning season
OF the Sacramento salmon was about the
end Of October, Mr.. Stone lost NO time in pro-
gceeding to the west coast, where he placed
himseif In communication with the califor MIA
advice. selected a locality ON the Nee loud river
tributary Of the upper Sacramento, where he
established his Matching house; and then pro-
great abundance. To his surprise and disap-
pointment, be found that the spawning season
in the McCloud river was actually in the early
part OF september, and he was consequently
These were shipped eastward, and the greater
part of them are now in q thriving condition at
the establishment OF Dr. j. H. Slack, at Blooms
burg, n. j., in preparation for their transfer to
the Susquehanna river. The importance of the
experiment with the Sacramento fish may be
understood from the fact that their breeding
grounds on that river are In q region of very
high sumner temperature, reaching ut noon
from 100 10 ITO degrees Fahrenheit for a consid-
cradle distance. Therefore, while the eastern
salmon Is hardly allie to thrive west of the Con-
necticut river, or, at most, of the Hudson, there
Is every reason to believe that the Sacrarlento
fish can be introduced into nearly, If not quite
all the rivers Of our Atlantic coast; and we have
every confidence that the time is not far dis
tant when We shall have in the Delaware, the
Susquehanna, the Potomac, and the james
an ample supply of these delicious fish, and
propose to place large portion OF the Penob-
scot and German salmon eggs in the tributaries
OF the great lakes, as the fact of the occurrence
of the natural food Of the shad in our lakes. in
ample quantity, applies equally well to the sal
mon. 1t is, likewise, my intention 70 try the
experiment Of introducing the salmon and the
body Of salt water, according to Stansbury, Of
29l miles in circumference, exclusi We of Offsets
and Astounding IN low forms of crustacee, and
in diPterous lary@ to an unheard Of extent, ad-
mirably htted for feeding myriads Of fish that
can live in 1t. That the purely fresh water spe-
cies Of trout and cyprinde are unable to survive
therein is not to be wondered at, but there seems
and aaewives may not find a perfectly fitting
resting place, and one where they would in
time multiply to an extraordinary degree, in
consequence of the entire absence of the pre-
dacious fishes, such as sharks, blue fish, SC,
which tend to keep down their numbers in the
ocean. The experiment is worth trying, at any
rate, ana II success sful It will add UNNECESSARILY
to the food resources Of the central portion Of
the west. In addition to the genuine salmon
ordered from Germany, large number of hy-
birds, between the salmon and the trout, are
expected. 1t has been established recently in
Europe that such crosses are not only fertile to
considerable degree, but that the fish lose
their instinct Of wandering to the sea and re-
main In the rivers throughout the year. Here
they grow rapidly, more so than the perfect
fish, and their flesh is highly distinguished for
its excellence.
A beginning has also been made in res ard to
increasing the supply of the white fish in the
lakes, and at present have about three-quar-
tiers Of a million OF eggs, in charge of Mr.. n. w.
Clarke, at Charleston, Mich. A portion of these,
as soon as they have developed sufficiently for
the purpose, 1 propose to transmit to the com
missioners of fisheries of California, for intro
duction into the waters of the Pacific coast, and
another year to take measures for multiplying
them largely throughout the great lakes. From
its situation and size, Utah Lake appears well
adapted for the introduction of white fish and
experiment this season. With both speess 'nf
may say, in conclusion, that in all the work
have hitherto prosecuted, have had the hearty
cooperation and concurrence of the fish COM
missiOners of the several states, it being, in my
judgment, the best policy to work with and in
large part through them.
The fund appropriated by Congress Is not suf-
fcient to meet all the expenses of the business,
especially that Of Matching out and distributing
the young fish, ard have therefore thought il
best to limit my efforts to obtaining the eggs in
sufficient quantities and then to turn them over
to the state commissioners, exercising the priv
ilege OF carrying the subject to its entire con-
clusiOn in the waters Of such states as have not
the United States in reference to the introduc-
ton Of useful food fishes should not be limited
to the salnonide already mentioned, ito which
the various species of trout, salmon white fish
and smelts belOng.l and t. the shad, as many
other kinds yet remain for consideration.
The land-lOched salmon, the European char
or lakes Of . certain extent and temperature
In these they will pass the greater part Of their
time, running up into the tributaries OF outlets
reaches the Hesht Of ons
pounds, would find perfectly suitable resi-
dence In the Mississippi river and its tributa-
ries, feeding on the worthless clubs, suckers,
alewife can be propagated to a much greater
extent than at present. The sterlet, a kind Of
small sturgeon, found in the volga and in Rus
sra, and which is esteemed far beyond the tur-
bot, will thrive in the Mississippi valley and in
the lakes. The g0urami, an East India fish, can
be placed to great advantage in the mill-dams,
ponds, &C., of the south, thriving, as it does, in
very warm water, and feeding entirely on vege-
table matter. 1t attains q weight of twenty
pounds or more, grows with great rapidity,
its flesh. Other species could readily be
mentioned, but j have stated enough to
show the prospects before us in the way
sSs foea Of our
in rendering the productiveness of our waters,
in this respect, superior, acre to acre, to that of
land. OF course time and expenditure of money
will be required, but the larger the scale of OPP
erati0ns the sooner and more effectually the re-
suit will be accomplished. There is also some
thing still to be done by the United States in the
way of extending the area of cultivation Of lob
sters crabs, oysters, &C., If not by actual plant
| ing on larger scale, yet, by making the neces-
sary experiments and supplying the detailed
| instruction for the work. 1t is not impossible,
indeed, that the great Salt Lake, and other in
| terror bodies of saline waters, may be made the
nurseries OF objects such as those mentioned
| above. SPENCER r. BAIRD,
q. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries.
Care Of Fancy Fowls.
The very best possible arrangement will be,
a dry house with a rOomy shed at the side
| hoored with clean yellow sand, and with a
| moderate grass-run in front well shaded with
| trees. The grass should, however, be kept
| short by moving, or the plnmage of feathered
breeds especially will become draggled. The
| hole by which the fowls enter their house must
| be Of good size, and all the doors should be
| fastened ride open when open at all, to avoid
| any injury TO the tails. For the same reason,
/ the perch must be fixed 20 far from the wall
that the tail OF the cock can in no circumstances
touch it, and if it rest at the ends on lodges fix
ed to the wall of the house, bit Of lath should
| be tackled slantwise upwards from q few inches