The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-04-30
FISH CULTURE.
rs Prospective B s.5sssa 10 the state at

It's Prospective Benefits 10 the state at
Large
1t has been reserved for the last four
or five years to develop within our COM
monwealth something like proper con-
ception of the immense benefits which
it has now been practically demon
strated are certain TO flow from the en-
actment of a general fishing law. This
wholesome law not only provides for
the appointment of three commission
ers to whom is entrusted the important
and responsible duty of experimenting
the fish prOpagating establishments or
gained under 1t, but provides also the
funds necessary for the erection of fish
ways in our principal rivers, and, what
is equally essential, imposes such re-
strietiOns upon fishermen as will pro-
tect our most valuable edible fish from
Wholesale captures by nets and seines
during their spawning seasons.
The only cause for surprise is, that a
law so salutary In its results was not
enacted many years ago, for the most
ample and satisfactory experience Of
our own and other countries long since
demonstrated the entire practicability
of stocking the magnificent but now
almost wholly depleted streams of Penn
sYlVania with edible fish of the finest
l QlA-lAtNy at . merely LOn44Aal GO@Ns We
can conceive of no investment, whether
By state or individuals, that gives such
positive assurance of large and contin-
ued profit.
That fish food is both wholesome and
nutritious is so self-evident as to require
no argument that it is generally rel
ished IS equally beyond controversy
and that its average cost in our markets
IS 50 great as to render it virtually a
luxury rather than an ever day dish on
the table of those of humble means, is a
fact that admits of no dispute. There
are thousands of families that would
/ gladly substitute fish foe scrofula-pro-
| ducing pork and unwholesome veal,
could the change be made without in
vOlving greater outlay than their linn
wise law to which allusion has been
made, the day is not far distant when
fresh fish (instead OF ranking among
the delicaeies readily accessible to the
to the masses only at a sacrifce) viii
constitute the main feature of at least
one of each days meals.
Such pleasant anticipatious are based
| upon the fact that fishes multiply with
almost incredible rapidity. The fecun-
dity of trout, salmon, shad, bass, and
other choice edible fishes. is really amaz-
ing. This is evidenced by the almost
countless numbers of young fish Matched
at the several propagating establish
ments within an hours ride of Phila-
delphia. Now it is to be remembered,
that the cost of the machinery and labor
by which such surprising results are at
/ tanned is comparatively trihing. But
when, in addition, it is borne in mind
/ that when these millions of little fishes
/ q So,
mother nature assumes their guardian
ship and throws over them her protect
/ ing egis. and in return for her kindly
! offices asks but the enactment and rigid
! enforcement of laws that viii effectu-
ally prevent interference with her ar
engagements, we only learn to appreci-
ate the magnitude of the boon confer
red upon us by artificial fish culture.
It is safe to assert, that if the princi-
pal brooks, creeks and rivers of Penn.
sylvania were judiciously stocked with
food fishes appropriate 10 each, and leg.
islative protection granted them fol
five years only, the dollar and cent adj.
vantages to the people at large would
be represented by tens of millions
Assuming as a data the careful observa
tions and experiments of such distin
guished naturalists as LueWenhoeck, We
ind that single sturgeon produces
from a million to a million and hal
of eggs, while the Goldfish is estimated
to contain nine millions. If all these
were fructified by the male fishes, tn,
numbers would in few years, be 81
great the waters of all the oceans anC
rivers of the earth would not contain
them. But Providence has ordered i
otherwise. The proper equilibrium
has always been maintained wher
mans destructive Tenderness have no
been permitted full sway. All tn
oviparous tribes of fishes are endowed
with these same wonderful powers o
reproduction, and prominent amonl
them are the shad, the trout, the sal
mon, the bass, and other fin fshe
which are now being so largely and sue
cessfully introduced, or reintroduce,
rather, into our state wateTs.-E1
change.