Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-03-12

a Visit 20 the State Hatchiug House
At Anamosa.


Correspondence Of the Dubuque Times
In company with Fish Commits
sioner Shaw l visited the State Hatch
ing House. 1t is located about three
miles from town, and short dis
lance from the bank of the river.
Here the Commissioners have built a
house, the upper part fitted up for n
family, and the lower part for the
Matching Of fish. A visit to the place
pays one well for his trouble of 60
ing. This business of fish culture
is one that ought to be fostcred by
the State, as the people will more
than realize in return, benefits great
er by far than all the expenses incur
red in the culture of fish.
Fish culture in Iowa was an cxper-
iment, and Notwithstanding the fact
that the United States Congress has
appropriated $4,000 to the State of
Iowa for this purpose, it was an ex-
ceedlngly difficult task to get the last
Legislature to appropriate the small
sum of $4,000 to look after this in
terest. This fish culture business
enters largely into the question of
cheap food, as where rivers and
streams are well stocked with fish,
poor people have got an article of
food within their reach that they
would other wise be deprived of.
From what has already been done
by the Commissioners, people may
form some opinion rs to the benefit
to be derived from fish culture.
The United States furnished to the
State of Iowa 100000 young shad,
which were deposited by the Com
missioncrs in the Des Moines river
at Ottumwa and Des Moincs. There
have been distributed among the IN
land lakes and streams, 100000 young
bass and other fish. There have also
been distributed in various parts OF
the state between the two great rivers
the Mississippi and Missouri, no less
than 100000 California salmon,
which rs an article Of food cannot be
excellcd. There are now at the hatch
ing house 10000 young salmon and
5000 young trout, all as lively as
crickets. The Commissioners expect
to receive shortly from the Govern
mcnt and Eastern States fishery at
Bucksport, Maine, 100000 eggs of
Pcnobscot salmon, which will be
Matched out and ready for distribu-
ton in May or June. They also ex-
pcct from the same source, large
quantity of cells and shad, which will
be deposited in the various lakes and
rivers throughout the State.
1t is the intention of Commission
cr Shaw to gather, as soon as the sea-
son is favorable, n large quantity Of
eggs of wall-eyed pike, bass, and 9th
err varieties of fish in the Mississippi,
which he means to have Matched in
the State Matching house at this place.
1t requires great care and attention
to raise these fish. The water has to
be kept pure and clean, the dead
ones have to be picked out, and food
placed in the troughs regularly twice
each day.
From the number of letters that
the Commissioners are receiving al
most daily, asking for fish, it is evil
dent that the people are becoming in
terestcd in the matter. What great
er blessing can a people have than
to have all their lakes, streams and
rivers stocked with beautiful fish?
The Eastern States know the great
value of this and the legislatures en-
courage the culture of fish by liberal
appre priations. The Legislature of
Michigan, awakening to the impor-
lance of this great interest, and see
ing the benefits to be derived there
from, appropriated at the last session,
$4,000 for its advancement. 1t is
true it WAS only an experiment in our
State, and probably the Legislature
acted wisely in appropriating only
$4,000 until it could be ascertaincd
whether fish culture in Iowa could be
successfully carried on. The $4,000
is about all expended and l think l
may safely say that no $4,000 has
been expended with such benefit to
the npOnle