Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-24

small fish, weighing from three to eight
pounds, but very fine eating; 10000 Of
these eggs have been secured and dis
tributed among the rivers of New
England and Michigan that run into
lakes.
The two principal sources Of supply
Of shad ova are at Castleton; n. Z, on
the Hudson, and Holyoke. Mass, on
the Connecticut; and, at these two
places, some 5000, 900 or 5000. 900 eggs
have been secured. Salmon eggs are
sent across the continent imbedded in
moss; but shad are so lively, being
Matched IN five or six days after they
are impregnated, that they can only be
distributed as living fishes. Large cans
are, therefore, made, holding 10 or II
gallons of water each, and in each
can are deposited 5000 or 10000 of
the little fishes. These 100000 or
10000 shad have been distributed
over New England, New York, Penn
sylvania, Illinois, and as far West as
Iowa. The Southern States have also
received their quota, $4,000 having
been for the first time deposited In two
streams IN Texas; so that three years
from this time (it requires three years
to bring the shad to full ma
turity) the shad viii be our
national fish, and Will be caught
in every stream in the Union. Some of
these shad eggs have been deposited in
the tributaries Of the Mississippi and
of the great lakes. But the latter is
an experiment, the shad hitherto hav-
ing always found his way to salt water.
But small shellfsh, of the same species
as the shad feeds upon in the bottom of
the ocean, having been found in the
depths of great lakes, it has been de-
termined to try the experiment Of both
shad and salmon for lakes.
But it is no experiment to stock
rivers running to the sea with food
fishes. In 1867 the oya Of shad were
first carried to the former Matching
places in the head waters of the Con-
necticut. During the three years re-
quired for their growth, the Connect
cut was SO empty Of fish that the fish
cries of the lower part of the river were
wholly abandoned. But in 1870 large
schools began to pass up the river, and
they have continued to grow
In numbers and IN weight till
this year, when in the height of the
season shad were sold on the spot
where they we're caught at 50 per 100.
Streams in Southern Massachusetts,
have been restocked with alewives, so
that 100 tons Of fsh-food are now
taken from streams that six years ago
were without fish; and the supply of
this fish in the streams has restOcked
the mouths of the rivers and the shores
with larger and more nutritious fish,
attracted thither by the Righteousness
of their favorite bait.
Ii is ap interesting fact, developed
by these Investigations, that the fish
when too young to take care Of itself,
is best cared for by man, but that,
when instinct Is once fully developed,
nature is better than man. The i'm
gregnation of the egg is much better
secured by artificial means than when
left to the fishes themselves; but, when
Matched. nature takes better care than
man. A few years ago the young fish
was carefully cooped up, fattened,
and intrusted to himself only
when fully started IN life.
The consequence was that when Cnce
left free in hisnative waters he became
the prey OF his numerous enemies,
against which he had no instructive re-
sources. But when the young of any
fish, first lOosened from the yokebag,
finds Itself alone In it's native waters, it |
a. once sinks to the bottom, where its |
color renders it undistinguishable from |
the sand by which it is surrounded. !
AS it grows up 1t learns self-preserVa-
ton by fight, so that the proportion of |
is found to be larger under
the let-alone principle than under mans
most carefel tuition.
TIL Commission are now engaged |
in preparing their report, which viii
be submitted TO Congress soon after
the meeting of that body.