The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-08-20

| try, great changes have taken place IN
our streams. The removal of timber
and the cultivation OF the land, have at
iected the waters and also the nsn'
Some of our finest food hshes,as the BLACK
Bass, spawn about the time our spring
freshets bring down from the ploughed
lands large quantities of earthly matter
which settles on the young spawn in
quantities greater than the parent fish can
| clear off, burying the spawn entirely.
| Animals of all kinds which flourish in a
state of nature, meet with many casuali-
ties in a state of civilization. Our lntelll-
gence and care must provide against
such injurious consequences as folloW
changes introduced by US.
| The care and culture of fish must come
| to he Regarded as one of the utilities OF
society. AS one of the means of supplying
an abundance of cheap and excellent
food. Useful and reasonable restrictions
provided by the legislature will enable all
to draw from the general store. There
restrictions are, such as a gentleman
would desire to extend to nature. 1t is
merely to infict the least possible injury
upon nature consistent with Its economl-
| cal use.
Not only good morals but good sense
| demands the righteous observance OF
this rule. The utility will be found at
once in the increased quality of all the
desirable objects supplied by the forests,
| the fields and the waters. The improv-
ident use is but little less pernicious
than wanton destruction. Community will
when the subject is presented require the
protection of the state to extend to this
subject. The people will ialso sustain
prudent, efficient and judicious system
for the propagation and protection OF
fish.
There are but few States in the Union
that enjoy greater advantages so far as
| fresh water is considered. The Tennessee
| is fed from a vast extent of surface by
/ numerous streams furnishing O body Ot
water that would cover many hundreds of
| square miles of land Astounding in nour-
ishment for our own fish. To care for
this domain and have it devoted to use
/ tal purposes is at once the duty of the
State. trust then that the next Legislature
will make such provisions as the exper-
fence of the times and the practice of
other States warrant. The results of in
teligent care for fish have proved so sat
isfactory in many of our States that there
can be no doubt of its advantage. l may
also add that the consequence of a reck-
less dis. egard of the laws of production
have proved so pernicious as to leave no
room for doubt on this point.
In all the streams beyond the Hudson
salmon abounded IN the early settle
ment of the country. From many they
have entirely disappeared. 1t was true
also of the shad. The efforts by State
action, have succeeded so WELL that
shad, which had entirely disappeared
from the Connecticut, have returned in
greater abundance than ever. In the
year 1854 Gov. Farwell of Wisconsin
made a successful effort to stock some
of the lakes in Wisconsin with
white fish. / understand they are now
caught in large numbers in those waters.
The salmon is by far the most desira-
BILE of the migratory fishes. 1t is found
over a vast territory and in all climates.
The salmon frequents every sea, the
arctic as well as the Equatorial. 1t
goes as far south as New Holland and
the Australian seas.'
1T traverses the whole length of the
largest rivers. 1t reaches Bohemia by
the Eibe, Switzerland by the Rhine, and
} the Cordilleras of America by the nigh
ty Maraguon or River of Amazons,
whose course is more than three thous
and miles" (Kirby's History, Habits and
Instincts of Animals.) This last river lies
, under the Equator and the lower part is
T more muddy than the Mississippi. The
; distance this fish would have TO traverse in
reaching the head waters of the Tennes-
see is not near so great as they pass over
i'll the Amazon. In the Oregon or Co
lumbia river they pass over one thousand
miles in vast numbers, affording living
almost entirely for the Indians, and a
great and profitable source of commerce
for the recent inhabitants. The distances
they traverse and the obstacles they
overcome on our western coast, are faI
greater than would be required of them
! In our streams.
The one great advantage of the
shad and salmon is that they derive
their nourishment from the sea. They
are not known to feed in fresh water
which they invariable seek for spawning
, | grounds. The many tributaries to the
, tennessee will all furnish excellent
, | spawning grounds for both these
varieties Should Congress continue
this most important appropriation, al
of our streams will be stocked with these
| fish which succeed each other admirably
, The shad makes it appearance early IL
the season, and the salmon late.
| was not aware that the salmon was
ever found in any of our streams except
| the mountain trout, which belongs to the
salmon family. would be pleased to heal
from you more definitely on this sub
. ject. Yours respectfully,
{ Jos S. FOWLER.