The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1875-03-18
IOWA FISH CULTURE.
A Visit 10 the State llatching
House ae AManOaa.

Correspondence Of the Dubuque Times !
In company with Fish Commission
er Shaw | visited the State Haiching
House. 1t is located sbou, three miles
from town. and q short distance from
the bank of the river. Here the Com
missioners have built house, the up
per part for family and the lower
part for the Matching of 6sh. A visit
to the place pays any one well for
his trouble Of going. This business
of fish culture is one that ought to be
fostered by the State. as the people
will more than realize in return, ben
efits greater by far than all the ex-
penses incurred in the culture Of fish.
Fish culture in Iowa was an expert
mcnt, 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-
ceedingly difficult task TO get the
last Legislature to appropriate the
small sum of $4,000 to look after
this interest. This fish culture bus
iness 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 otherwise be deprived of.
From what has already been done
by the Commissioners. people may
form some opinion as 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.
missioners in the Des Moines river =,
Ottumwa and Des MONIES. There
have been distributed among the in
land lakes and streams, 100. 900 young
bass and other fish. There have also
been distributed in various parts Of
the State between the two great riv-
ers the Mississippi aud Missouri, no
less than 100000 California salmon,
which as an article of food cannot be
excelled. There are now at the
Matching house 10000 young salmon
and 5000 young trout, all as lively
as crickets. The Commissioners ex-
pect to receive shortly from the Gov
ernmcnt and Eastern States fishery
At Bro sport, Maine, SOC, ,OoO eggs Of
Penobscot salmon, which will be
hatched out and ready for distribu
ton in May or June. They also ex.
poet from the same source, q large
quantity Of eels and shad, which will
be deposited in the various lakes and
rivers throughout the State.
1t is the intention Of Commissioner
Shaw TO gather, as soon Ms the sea
son is favorable, \ large quantity Of
eggs of wall-eyed pike, bass, and
other variets of fish in the Mississippi,
which he means to have hatched in
the State Matching house a, this place.
1t requires great care and attention
to hatch and raise these fish. The
water has to be kept pure and clean,
the dead ones have to be picked out,
and foo placed in the ttoughs regu-
larly twice each day.
From The number Of letters that
Commissioners are receiving almost
daily asking for fish it is evident tina.
the people are becoming interested
in the matter. What greater bless
ing 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-
couraged the culture of FISH by liber-
al appropriations. The Legislature
of Michigan, awakening to the impor-
tance of this great interest, and see
ing the benefits to be deprived there
from, appropriated a, 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 ascertained
whether fish culture in Iowa could be
successfully carried on. The $4,000
is all expended and | think may
safely say that no $4,000 has been
expended with such benefit to the
people.