The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-12-22
agricultural department.
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CONDUCTED BY AlBtkT ChAPNAl
BREEDING SALMON.

tepdent oil the Buckspoft Salmon BREED
inv Works to the fish commissioners Of
Maine gives very concise account Of
what was done there last year. The work
goes steadily gu, aud this year promises
greater results than ever before He
says:
GENTLEMEN In compliance with
your request, send you the following
statement OF the progress Of The present
seasons work at the salmon breeding es.
Enlistment here.
The collection OF breeding salmon COM
menced June 9Th and closed June oath
During this short space Of time 625 sal
mon we're received alive at Duckspo.t
and transferred to the fresh water pond
used as herdiug ground for Them. Their
total weight was $685. l.2 pounds, being
On average Of 1928 pounds per salmon,
which exceeds the average of ordinary
years, and the cost of buying and trans.
porting them was 500 ench
The accomplishment of the work Of col
lection at so early date had several adj.
vantages. The water was colder and the
salmon less lively than later in the season.
aud to these facts, in part attribute the
remarkable success attending their trans
portation. Only seventeen Of them were
found dead under such circumstances as
led to the conclusion that they died from
injuries received in transit The earlier
salmon are Of larger size than the latter
ones, and it is probable,-I cannot say
eertain,-that they furnish larger pro.
portion Of females.
The enclosure prepared for the salmon
in the pond contained about ten acres and
was made by running net across the
mouth ola cove, its top being tied up to
stakes and its bottom held down by chain.
Here in apparent health and copteutment,
the salmon remained through the summer
and fall, with the exception of an incon.
siderable number that escaped, late ia the
season. into the mpin pond. Though
black and muddy and liable to become
very warm In summer, this water appears
10 be admirably adapted to the use we
have made of it, The salmon confined 10
it have each season come out in the fall
in fine conditiou--bctfer than those that
have had free run of the rivers, if I am
to trust the evidence afforded by the few
specimens of the latter that have cpme
under my observation.
Artificial spawning began on the 9th
Of October, and though ninety per cent
of the whole number OF eggs were obtain.
ed before the middle of November the
work continued until the 26th, and a sin.
gle individual, kept for several weeks in
our pens, was not stripped until Decem.
Der Sd. The fish did not run into the
brook with SO great regularity as last
year needing deal Of persuasion, which
was administered with seine. This
sttribute TO the low stage of The water
that prevailed in November. The work
Of the season was rendered still more la.
sorious aad disagreeable by the early I'D.
vent Of extremely 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
Damed, the result is eminently satisfacto.
~. The crop Of eggs is fifty per cent
srSer than last year while the total ex.
penditure is leSsened | had the pleas.
ure, year since, Of reporting to you that
by our operations at Bucksport the cost
Of salmon eggs had been reduced from
S44.S0 per thousand 1.-THE price tue state
had to pay for them in 1897 TO less than
IS per thousand. have now the pleas
ure ofreporting still further reduction
the present season to q figure not ex.
oeeding $3.50 per thousand. At the
yates Of 1869, which were fixed by the
Canadian government at its establishment
at Newcastle. Ontario, 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 sum not far from
two hundred thousand Nor do sun.
pose the limit Of cheapness is yet reached.
Each season adds something to our know.
edge Of the habits Of the salmon and OF
best mode Of managing the business, and
considerable part Of the expenditure of
the first two years has been for buildings
and fixtures that will be good for many
yeras' use so that future expenditures
will 60 more directly to the production of
eggs.
Ibis establishment now ranks, in its
appointments, as 10 its productions, am ong
the Arst IN the world. Two millions and
quarter of eggs Cow lie 10 the Matching
troughs, and when put to their utmost
capacity, they will contain over four mil.
iiou, They can be enlarged to a capacity
several times greater. Its patrons, the
present season. are the governments of
the United States. Maine. New Hanp.
shire, Vermont, Massachusetts,. Rhode
Island, Connecticut and Michigan. No
private parties are interested. The eggs
obtained are to be divided among the pat.
rons In proportion to the amount of mon.
sy furnished by each. 1t Is a suggestion
of Professor Baird, U. s. Commissioner
OF Fish aud Fisheries, that small Dor,
tion OF the eggs be sold to private parties
who may want them for private streams,
- otherwise they cannot obtain the eggs
at this species in the country. With this
exception oil the eggs obtained will 20
Into public waters.
Though the scale ut nnr nraratinns ia
already very large | do not think it large
enough If this establishment is to fur.
nish salmon eggs for the restocking of all
the rivers Of New England and other
northern states, it should furnish them In
larger quantities, You, gentlemen, will
nod yourselves hard pressed to meet the
demands of different parts of Maine, who
want their rivers stocked with salmon ,un.
less you eau increase your supply. The
sum that you have been able to devote to
this part of your work is certainly a very
small allowance. when we consider the
magnitude Of the undertaking before you.
| trust the people of the state will soon
appreciate that undertaking at its true
yalue and will olaoa in no.. l,,l. A.