Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-12-04
BREEDING SALMON.

The following letter from the superinten-
dent of the Bucksport Salmon Breeding
Works to the fish commissioners Of Maine
gives very concise account Of what was
done there last year. The work goes stead
lily on, and this year promises greater re-
suits than ever before. He says:
GENTLEMEN :-Iu compliance with your
request, send you the following statement
OF the progress Of the present seasons work
at the salmon breeding establishment here.
The collection of breeding salmon COM
menced June 7th aud closed June Oath.
During this short space of time 625 salmon
were received alive at Bucksport and trans
ferred to the fresh water pond used as a
herding ground for them. Their total
weight was S,626i pounds, being an aver
age of 1928 pounds per salmon, which ex-
cee1s the average of ordinary years, and the
cost of buying and transporting them was
$2.97 each.
The accomplishment of the work Of colec-
tion at so early date had several advantage
es. The water was colder, aud the salmon
less lively than later in the season. aud to
these facts, in part, attribute the remarka-
BILE success attending their transportation.
Only seventeen Of them were found dead un.
der such circumstances as led to the conclu-
sion that they died from injuries received in
transit. The earlier salmon are Of larger
size than the later ones and it is probable
| cannot say certain,-that they furnish q
larger proportion Of females.
The enclosure prepared for the salmon in
the pond contained about ten acres, and was
made by running net across the mouth of
a cove, its top being tied up to stakes and
its bottom held down by chain. Here, in
apparent health aud contentment, the salmon
remained through the summer and fall, with
the exception Of an inconsiderabc number
that escaped, late in the season, into the
main pond. Though black and muddy and
liable to become very warm in summer, this
water appears to be admirably adapted to
the use we have made of it. The salmon
confined in it have each season come out in
the fall 10 fine condition-better than those
that have had free run Of the rivers, if L
am to trust the evidence afforded by the
few specimens Of the latter that have come
under my observation.
Artificial spawning began on the 9th Of
October, and though ninety per cent of the
whole number of eggs were obtained before
the middle Of November, the work continued
until the 2Gth, and single individual, kept
for several weeks in our pens, was not
stripped until December 81. The fish did
not run into the brook with so great regular
ity as last year, necdinga deal Of persua-
sion, which was administered with a seine.
This attribute to the low stage Of the water
that prevailed in November. The work OF
the season was rendered still more laborious
and disagrecable by the early advent Of ex-
tremely cold weather, which covered the
pond with ice several inches thick before
the work of catching our spawning fish was
finished.
But in spite of the disadvantages named
the result is eminently satisfactory. The
crop of eggs is Jiffy per cent larger than
last year while the total expenditure is less.
enod, had the pleasure, u year since, oI
reporting to you that by our operations at
Bucksport the cost Of salmon eggs had been
reduced from S44.S0 per thousand (the price
the state had to pay for them in 1862 to
less than So per thousand. have now the
pleasure of reporting still further reduction
the present season-to figure not exceeding
So. 80 per thousand. At the rates of 1869
which were fixed by the Canadian govern.
ment at its establishment at Newcastle, On
tario, the only place where eggs were then
for sale, the 500 which you have this year
invested IN this establishment would have
produced you less than sixteen thousand
eggs. Here you will receive for that sun
not far from t,oo hundred thousand. Nor
do | suppose the limit of cheapness is YET
reached Each season adds something to
our knowledge of the habits Of the salmon
and Of the best mode OF managing the bust
ness, and considerable part Of the expendi-
ture of the first two years has been ioT
buildings and fixtures that will be good fol
many years use so that future eXpendi
lures will go more directly to the production
OF eggs.
This establishment now ranks, in its Up
pointments, as in its productions, among thC
first in the world. Two millions and {
quarter of eggs now lie in the Matching
troughs, and when put to their utmost capa
city, they will contain over four million
They can be enlarged to a capacity severa
times greater. Its patrons, the present sea
son, are the governments Of the United
States, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont
Massachusetts,, Rhode Island, Connection
and Michigan. No private parties are in
terestcd The eggs obtained are to be divid
ed among the patrons in proportion to th
amount of money furnished by each. 1t i
a suggestion OF Professor Baird, U. S. Com
missioner of Fish and Fisheries, that a small
portion Of the eggs be sold to private parties
who may want them for private streams, a
otherwise they cannot obtain the eggs Of thi
species in the country. With this excep
tion all the eggs obtained will go into publ
waters.
Though the scale Of our operations is al
ready very large do not think it larg
enough. If this establishment is to furnis
salmon eggs for the restocking of all the riv
ers of New England aud other nOrther
states, it should furnish them in large
quantities. You, gentlemen, will find youl
. selves hard pressed to meet the demands c
f different parts Of Maine, who want their riN
ers stocked with salmon, unless you can ii
. crease your supply. The sum that you hav
been able to devote to this part Of you
n work is certainly very small allowance
= when We consider the magnitude Of the III
I dertaking before you. trust the people
y the state will soon appreciate that undertaI
ing at its true value and will place in you
hands the means of carrying on the work c
d a scale commensurate with its Importance.
) Very respectfully yours,