The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-30
SHAD AND SALMON.
The Tennessee 90 Have its Full Share
Of BOth-InferesGing Letter from
Ex-senator Fowler.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, July IA, 1875.

The Tennessee 10 Have its Full Share
Of notwithstanding Letter from
Ex-senator Fowler.
| NASHVILLE, Tenn, July IA, 1875.
To the Editor of the Chattanooga Times.
| If you will allow me to correct an
impression you seem to have enter
tanned relative to an effort to stock
| the Tennessee River with fish, | shall
| be very much obliged tOyOu.
| made application to the Commits
siOner Of Fish and Fisheries for both
! the Tennessee and the Cumberland
rivers. 1t so happe ned that the first
| installment was sent to the Cumber,
land. / presume this has occurred
| from the fact that it was the purpose
| to stock the head waters of the Ten
nessee from the Matching establish
mentin Maryland. | have learned
| that great success has not been had
| there this year. AS the sources of the
Tennessee are within twenty hours of
the Potomac it is desirable to resort to
| that point for the supply.
The young fish for the Cumberland
came from the Matching establish
ment at Mt. HOlyOke, Massachusetts.
They were out about forty-eight
hours.
You may rest assured that your
great and beautiful river will not be
neglected by the Commissioner. My
application was for both shad and sal
mon. lam more confident Ofsuccess
with the salmon than with the shad l.,
though have confidence in the sue
cess of both, if a persevering effort is
made.
The upper Tennessee is admirably
adopted to both these classes. Its nu-
merOus branches of clear waters, rum
ming over clear surface, will furnish
them with admirable spawning
grounds.
| am happy to know that you feel
an interest in this important subject.
If the press would devote some atten-
ton to it, our next Legislature would
take measures to establish Commits
sion for the care and propagation of
food fishes with fund adequate to eff
feet much good.
There are several varieties of fresh
water fish of Tennessee, that could be
multiplied to a great extent under
we'll digested system. The noun
tain trout is now found in the streams
among the mountains. This variety
could be vastly increased, and would
succeed over much larger space of
country than il now occupies. 1t is
by far the most delicate of all the va
rieties. The black bass is found in all
the clear streams and lakes in the
State. These few fishes are more de-
sirabIe and can be made to abound
under proper care. The Jack, so
nearly allied to the lake salmon, is
scarcely to he distinguished by the
careful observer, is a most delicious
fish, and of fine size. The prOpaga-
ton of these three varieties alone will
amply Justify the Legislature in max
ing provision for that purpose.
There are other indigenous varie-
ties found that will claim attention,
besides many foreign ones that may
be introduced.
1t is true that some of them are
not so desirable as the shad and sal
mon. If these can be successfully in
troduced, they can be multiplied to an
indefinite extent. They require little
or 10 food during their s0journ in
fresh water. They grow to their full
size in the ocean, returning to their
spawning grounds fat and vigorous.
The great distance to be Travelled
by these fish from the head-Waters of
our streams to the ocean, is fOrmida-
bic objection. But the salmon of the |
Pacific coast pass over much greater
space and more formidable currents. |
There is species of shad in China that
passes over a fargreater distance than |
would be here required, Both spe |
cieS are strong and active. The sal |
mon of the Pacific coast, averaging |
twenty pounds and reaching often fif- |
I0c on6 nnHnra
They pass through waters far more |
muddy than the Mississippi, and as
cend currents far more rapid, often !
obstructed by falls of several feet in |
height
Commissioner Baird has been as
sured by DR.. Lawrence that the shad !
has been taken from the headwaters |
Of the Ouachita, Arkansas. DIR. |
Middleton Goldsmith affirms that |
they have been caught at the falls @"
the Ohio at Louisville. DIR. tn" 4.
also states that they have beer ,ner
from the Wabash, Indi ma p taken
and in the NeOshO CF nd Illinois,
these observations ST. .. Kansas If
ly correct, the r. .uuld prove entire
to the shad il ,,ohlen with respect
t. already solved. 1t only
stream place the young fish IN our
- to secure a supply.
ne season for Matching the salmon
will be in October and November.
| am entirely confident th:.' Prof. Baird
will secure supply for 9th the Ten
mes zee and Cumberland. The apprO'
priation made by the last Congress
was small, and there is = great neceS
sily of outstanding it. One fact may
be relio Il on by the people, 'h1t thF
sum will he made to do the creates
u s,iLle amount of work. The Govern
ment cannot, among all ITS officers
claim more competent, enthualasti'
and self-denying agent. 1t is witt
this man a work Of love and dut!
rather than of official life. He vii
earnestly consider the wants and pos
sibiIties of every locality i'll the n
I ion.
| have no doubt that the inhabltant
on the banks of the Tennessee, VIII 1
the coarse of a few years, be able I
enjoy the luxury of fine shad or sa