Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-12-28

leuCy IOr the surety OF putleuls, As many VI
those confined are destructive to clothing and bed.
ding, while others are suicidally inclined, and
should be watched night and day.
We would tender our thanks to the superinteud-
ent and officers of the institution for courtesies
shown us at our visits.
The Inland Fisheries Of Maine-Progress
Made In Fish Culture the past year.
L. NJ. Stilwell and Henry o. Stanley, the Fish
Commissioners of the State, are about to publish
their annual report 1t is written in very enter
tanning STYLE and presents in an interesting man
ner the progress made the past year. 1t begins
| with a consideration Of the times upon which we
have fallen, and boldly asserts that Legislation
and lumber have sacrificed the rights Of the mass
es, and degraded labor" 1t then shows how
much we depend upon the producer, and reJoices
that people now turning their attention to the
production offood The Commissioners say there
need be, there is, no natural antagonsm between
fish and Acknowledgement the full use of every
pound Of water power, and the perfect protection
of every pound Of fish. The fish Of the Penobscot
or the kennebec is worth more than all the lum-
Der on either Of these rivers. A deep interest is
now taken by all classes in the work of the Com
missoners, frequent demands being made upon
them for surveys and plans for fshways for black
bass and landocked salmon, and sea salmon, to
stock rivers and ponds; advice as to Matching and
other matters.
The present year salmon has been very scarce
along the whole northern Atlantic coast 1t has
hitherto been very prevalent opinion among
ichthyologists, that salmon returned to the
ocean soon after depositing their spawn, to recup-
crate. This is seemingly contradicted by the fact
that several marked fishes we're caught at Veazie,
some rs miles above Bucksport, the spring after
they were turned loose at the latter place. The
rivermen unanimous in the statement, that the
spawning fish stay in the river the whole winter
and do not 60 down until the breaking up Of the
ice, on the spring flood.
The Commissioners have distributed this year
in the waters Of Maine some 100000 salmon fry.
They have received from the United States, l0O,-
900 eggs ofthe California salmon, (Salnao quinna)
from these were Matched about 10000 healthy
Young fry. These eggs were free gift to us
from the L. S. Fishery Commissioner. The plant
ing Of Penobscot salmon from the Bucksport
works commenced on the 25th of May. OF these
80 900 were put into the Schools river at and
Rowland; 5000 in the Penobscot at the mouth
of Madaceunk stream; 5000 in Salmon stream
four miles from Midway; 49, 600 in the Malta
wamkeag river at Bancroft; 5000 at Danfortt ;
81, 900 at Kiugman. 100000 salmon eggs were
sent to the Sebec Matching Works; these were
somewhat damaged in transportation, and did not
Weld so large q per centage as usual Of healthy
fry. Of these, $4,000 were turned into Salmon
stream, tributary of the Piscataquis river; 3d..
of Ship pond and Sebec lake; $4,000 into Wilson
stream, tributary Of Sebec lake; 5000 into
Bear brook; 5000 into Salmon Brook, a trib
utaIy of Sebec river; and 5000 into Bea-
yer Bank cove. 10000 eggs were sent respect
lively to Machias and Dobsis to be Matched and
turned into the streams at each of those places.
50, 900 salmon eggs were hatched at Dixfeld and
were turned into the Androscoggin river at and
near the village. 10000 were Matched at Norway.
these were intended for the Presumpscot river
&c, 900 were distributed in Bear Brook, Harrison
The balance was turned into Crooked river at By
field Bridge. 100000 salmon eggs from Bucks
port, were consigned to the Messrs. Coffin Of the
Pembroke Iron Works, for the streams emptying
into Lubec and connecting waters. These eggs
were successfully Matched and distributed
The State, through her Commissioners, can have
no traffic in her fishes All that they have in their
power to do for our sister States, or any OF our
citizens, is to grant permits to take the spawn OF
our fishes at the proper time, upon the condition
ing used. and that they hatch and put back into
the waters whence the parent fish were taken %
per cent. ofthe spawn taken from them Arrange
ments on a small scale have been made for hatch
ing the over of sebago salmon Mr. Atkins at
| his breeding works in Bucksport is taking spawn
of the same fish, and it is hoped that this fine fish
may be distributed throughout the country. 1000
| Of the S.hago salmon fry were turned into Weld
pond, Franklin county; the remainder into Range
| ly and Interchangeable lake. Ofthe remaining
| 1000, a rart were turned into Mattanacook pond
| in Lincoln, and the remainder consigned to the
care of Mr.. Cushman at Lee.
| The Commissioners are of the opinion that the
presence of the anadromous fishes in our rivers to
breed not only does not infringe upon the supply
of the food of our native fishes, but largely To-
| creases it, and upon it depends the existence Of
our coast fisheries, as our cod, our paddock, and
our pollock. There can be no substitute ID
| our rivers for our anadromous fishes.
Six years since several ponds in the State were
stocked with black bass, most valuable fish.
This year about 1000 bass for stocking purposes
have been taken from Phillips pond in Dedham
and Duck pond in Falmouth. The bass is not
deemed more destructive to the young OF other
fishes than the trout. much less so than the white
or yellow perch. The black bass feeds mostly on
a little fish called the "breme." For stocking
ponds infested by pickere, fish is equal to the
black bass. They breUd more rapidly than other
fish, and the young grow with wonderful rapdity
Their flesh when cooked has the same intense
white color as that Of the halibut, is very juicy
and sweet in flavor. Many ponds have been
stocked with this excellent fish.
The bue-back trout has hourished in tie
Rangeley waters for several years. 1t is an ex-
cellent table fish, most persons deemng ltequal in
flavor to the brook trout. 1t is deemed important
that this fish be introduced into all ponds that are
stocked with either trout or fresh water salmon.
A valuable species of smet, of most delicate fla
vor, are found in Belgrade, Sebago and several
other ponds in the State. Blue-back trout have
been introduced the past year into the following
waters: Weld pond, 1000; Wilton pond, l,50O /;
Sopgo lock, 500; Bear brook, CLong pond, Harri-
SOM 900; Whitney pond, Canton, 1000.
Three fshways have been constructed on the
Modomac. Two new ways are required at War
rem the old one being almost entirely worn out.
The first way on the Presumpscot was finished last
spring. Two have been constructed at Saccarap-
pa one has been built over the dam at their works
| in Windham, by the Oriental Powder Co. -Four
others ON the Presumpscot will be completed by
the month of May. Three ways have been con-
structed at Surry. Fishways are petitioned fer
| from different parts OF the State faster than the
| Commissioners can find time to attend to them.
A way will he built over the dam at Treats Falls
in Bangor, the coming spriog. One will be re-
auircd at Milo and one at Sebec the coming year.
Although the proper notice has been secured, and
legal steps taken the desired fshway over the Ken
nebec dam at Augusta has not yet been built.
Mr.. Chaffee the putatiye owner of the property,
| is now under indictment by the Grand Jury of
Kennebec county. Various matters are proposed
for the action of the legislature, relating to the
| fisheries. The people have a right to demand
simple, clearly expressed laws.
Annexed to the report is communication from
| Mr.. Chas. G. Atkins Supt. of tue fish breeding
works at Bucksport and Grand Lake 1t will be
read with great interest by naturalsts and piscicul
turists throughout the country. At Bucksport,
the whole number Of asllnon bought the past year
was 4Sl, of which AL were turned alive into the
pond. During the summer and fall the number oil