Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-24
y6e Introduction of salmon into the
= Potomac.

a few days ago we had the pleasure of an
nOuncing to our readers, the initiation of an
important enterprise on the part OF the United
States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries;
namely, the stocking of the Potomac river with
the Sacramento salmon.
Tile first experiments in this direction were
made in the vicinity of Chambersburg, Penn,
where are situated the head waters of the
Conecochesgue Creek, a fine stream which
empties into the Potomac at willamsport
The localities selected were such as would be
suitable for young trout, where the water is cool
and clear and shallow, with a gravelly bottom,
and free from any specially destructive fishes,
especially from the voracious black bass which
would very soon make An end OF any number of
fry if they were to be placed directly in the
Potomac.
Several lots OF young salmon have been
planted in the region indicated, and we now
give the official report to the Commissioner,
Prof. Baird, of a still more recent experiment
Of a similar nature in some tributaries of the
Shenandoah, and other waters adjacent TO it,
The total number Of young salmon which it is
proposed to plant in the Potomac ls 100 900; and
~ Is hoped that very positive results from these
experiments will be aPprecisble before long.
In selecting the proper kind of salmon for
Introduction into the more southern waters of
the United States, namely: the Delaware, Sus-
quehanna, Potomac, Rappahannock and
james, the species from California was chosen.
as being better able to endure the compare
lively high degree of temperature of those
waters than can be sustained by the salmon of
New England and the Provinces, and which,
at the time of the first white settlements, did
not occur west of the Connecticut river.
1t is hardly probable that in any of the streams
within the region just mentioned the Sacra-
mento fish will be exposed TO a temperature
equal TO that Of its native waters, where for
three or four months together the temperature
OF the air ranges continuously from 90 to 1lO5
Fahrenheit in the shade.
The young salmon now being plarted in the
tributaries of the Potomac are about two inches
IN length, and were Matched out at the estab-
hshment OF DR.. j. Ii. Slack, Bloomsbury, "
j., from eggs gathered from salmon in the Sac
ramento river by Mr.. Livinsgton Stcne IN An
gust and September last. They are twice as
large a. young salmon from Maine of the same
age, and will attain much greater size du-
ring the first few years of their existence.
These hsh will probably remain in the waters
where they have been planted for one or per-
haps even two years, by which time they will
probably have attained a weight of half a
pound. They will then go down to the sea, and
return again in about two years more making
an interval of about four years from their birth,
anu weighing ten 10 hfteen pounds. They may
therefore be expected during the winter of
1slI-TS; and If their course is not o3structed
they will proceed as directly as possible to the
place where they were first planted. AS how
ever, there are numerous dams IN the way
they will be arrested at the first irlpassable
barrier, which at preseD. is the Great Falls of
the Potomac, where they can probably be cap
tured by the various devices used for the pur-
pose Of taking salmon. By the time of their
return 1t is hoped that provision will be made
for their ascent above the Falls, ard to the
upper portions of the river, so as t. give as
great an extent as possible to their range