The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-10-08
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
Fish Culture.

The results so far attained in this coun-
try in the artificial culture of fish are
eminently satisfactory, and the efforts
made by the various fisheries commits
sioners to increase the supply of food
for the people are worthy of all common
dation. Naturally, there exists lively
public curiosity to know the processes
of fsh-culture, and information with re-
gard to its history, its principles,
and its methods, is heartily vel
coined. In response to this general de-
mand, Mr.. Robert D. Roosevelt, Fish
Commissioner Of the State of New York,
has given a lecture on pisciculture, in
which he fully considers the subject in
all it's aspects. The lecture is very long,
and we must be content with indicating
only few of its points. There are, he
said, two divisions of fish in our country
which are subjects of fsh-culture, viz:
the "Salmonida,' or salmon tribe, and
the "Alosid8," or shad tribe. Under the
former head are included the salmon, the
trout, the salmon-trout (or lake trout the
white-fsh, and the California salmon.
The "Alosida" are represented in pisci-
culture only by the shad, as yet.
The first point in fish culture is to OBJ
tain the spawning fish in proper condi-
ton. In the "Salmonide," the eggs,
when it is perfectly ripe condition, lie free
in the abdomen, and may be extended by
gentle pressure. They are caught as
they fall in basin, and are vitallzed by
coming in contact with the milt from the
males. Formerly, the practice obtained
having this basis full of water, it being
supposed that this arrangement more
nearly reproduced the natural conditions;
l,I. 20
of this method The eggs are fertilized
by the spermatoza of the milt entering
through the micropyle, and taking up
board and lodging within. 1t was ascer-
| tanned, however, in practice, that these
spermatoza are not fond Of water, and al
| though very active when first emitted,
soon drowned. They retain their vitality
| much longer when dropped among the
| eggs in comparatively dry state, and
| this is the method universally pursued
! at present.
AS soon as the operation is completed,
the eggs are placed in hatching-troughs.
There are made of various materials, but
are simply long, narrow boxes, say twelve
| feet long by eighteen inches wide, and
subdivided into compartments, to keep
the eggs from crowding on one another
Cold spring water, which has been filter
ed by passing through several flannel
| screens, comes in at the head of these
troughs, passes over the eggs, in one COM
partment after another, ard escapes at
| the lower end. By this means the great
| est danger to the life embryOi is avoided.
Sediment and conferv@ cannot pass the
screens, insects are kept out altogether,
| and ducks and cells are disappointed of
| their prey. The eggs require about two
| months to hatch with the water at the
temperature of 45 degrees. They de-
mand constant care and attention, for, if
one egg dies or becomes diseased, it con-
teammates its neighbors. The advance
of the process is, however, soon visible
in the egg, either to the human eye, or
under the microscope. At last the risei-
culturist will have evidence of his labors
being successful. Some morning on
| going to his troughs, he will notice brok-
en- egg-shells il the water, and, on clos
err inspection, will observe wriggling nom
| descripts on the bottom, neither like fish
nor eggs, but compounded of both When
| they once begin to appear, they come in
| thousands, in millions, IN myriads. The
young need more water, at this time, but
require less care yet still they must be
watched. The young fish may soQn be
| turned loose into the stream.
If he Is salmon, after a few months
preparation to strengthen his sinews and
test his power, he goes down to the sea,
there to dwell, and feed, and grow, gain
ing wonderfully in size, drawing his sus-
| tenance from the exhaustless storehouse
of the world, and coming back to man,
in few months, a magnificent embodi-
ment of strength and beauty, bringing to
the lord of the universe Ave or ten pounds
of as delicious food as ever delighted a
gourmand's palate, or satisfied hun
cry mans stomach. If he is only trout,
younger brother of the glorious family
of the "salmonid@," he will lurk about
the bottom of some pond, or Craze some
pebbly mountain brook, and struggle up
to half pound or more before twelve
months shall have rolled over his head.
| i Popular Science MORthIy,