Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-04-29

that in all the reports of the commits
sioners of fish before us, they speak
but one language, and that is of the
most encouraging character The
fisheries of New York, Maine, Con.
necticut and Pennsylvania are being
largely increased, barren waters are
becoming productive, and the people
are beginning to reap the harvest of
success in an increased supply of
wholesome diet and at greatly re.
duced cost. Considering that fish,
culture by artificial means is not
dozen years old in this country, with
the success already attained, the flu
ture is full of promise. We have pass
ed the day of experiment and with the
experience of the States named, we
have only to go to work with GER
tainty of a highly remunerative re-
turn for our labor and expenditure.
But to do this we must have money.
In the first place we ask the State
to make suitable appropriation OF
money, to enable the Fish commission
ers to prepare proper site and erect
State clearinghouse. These sites
are not abundant in the State. We
must have fair scope of land near
some railway centre, living water of
proper temperature, and full suf-
fciency for the accommodation of hatch
ing troughs and ponds. To give
fair conception of what kind of
hatchery we want, we copy the fol-
lowing outside description of that in
New York:
"The Matching. house is situated at
Caledonia, New York. 1t is built on
ground leased from the well known
fish breeder, Mr.. A. S. Collins, who
owns the streams and ponds formerly
belonging to Seth Green. This site
is the finest by far in the United
States for such purpose. An esti-
mated flow OF sixty barrels of water
per second is furnished by springs
within the distance of half a mile.
The stream varies much less than is
usual with such waters in volume and
temperature; is full of the finest fla.
vored speckled trout, and the ground
around the clearinghouse is especial
ly favorable for constructing ponds
and for the various. purposes of fish.
breeding.
"The Matching house is 30 con-
structed that fall of three feet of
water can be used. 1t is built OF
hemlock timber, is fifty feet long by
twenty feet wide, one and half
stories high, and the commissioners
claim is the cheapest Matching house,
and yet, so arranged to turn out the
greatest number of fish of any in the
United States"
The interior is supplied with
troughs, feed-pipes-in which filters
are inserted before the faucets, which
admits the water into the troughs-
MASTERPIECES, &c. The work is rough
in the main and inexpensive. The
principal cost of such an establish.
men would attach to the ground. We
should no: want near the current of
water above named, but care should
be taken to secure an abundance for
all time and for all purposes of such
an institution. A large discretion
should be given to the commissioners
in the selection of site, assuming
that the best interest of the State
would be kept in view.
For tie purpose above indicated
and to carry on the operations OF
Matching spawn and distributing the
fry, for 1875, we ask for an appropri-
stion of eight or ten thousand dollars.
With this sum we feel confident that
in few months we would perfect the
work necessary for all Matching pur-
poses. 1t might be necessary to erect
cheap tenement, at or near the
clearinghouse, in which the superin-
tendent could reside, as some one
must have charge of the property and
superintend the Matching of spawn.
In this connection, we dssire to
state, that, as soon as arrangements
for Matching are perfected, RESPONSE
bic parties can be had who will take
charge of the property and hatch all
the spawn which the State is likely to
want, free of cost for the labor of
Matching and delivering the fry at the
Matching house. The consideration
for these services will consist in allow
ing the party to use the water which
would otherwise run to waste, in the
artificial propagation of trout. This
matter, however, will form the SUBJ
iect for future consideration. At
present, it looks to as feasible, as it is
not contemplated that the State will
engage in brook-trout culture. Trout
streams are too local in their character
to warrant the labor aud expense of
stocking them.
But we should expect that the ex-
ample of the State in stocking public
waters with other varities would en-
courage private parties to cultivate
the speckled trout. Farmers who
have springs or cold streams on their
farms can best do this. With little
capital, and the time which they can
well spare and which will be mostly
in winter, they can grow trout food
charper than they can grow beef or
| pork. The amusement, too, in angling
is of great moment, and employs many
spare hours of both boys and girls.
We have before us the codIfed
game laws of the State of New York,
prepared under the direction of the
Secretary of State. In looking over
our own laws on this subject and COM
pairing them with those of New York,
we are OF the opinion that they ought
to be arranged and printed in conve-
nient form for distribution, and in
some respects altered and enlarged.
We have State association for the
preservation of game, and which is
doing much good in that direction.
r. H Strong, Esq, of Baraboo, is
president, and Messrs. NJ. r. Bailey,
of Madison, and A. j. Turner, of Por-
tage are secretaries. They are also
Iocai olnhs oruapi1ad in manu- .,f our