The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-04
safely deposited in suitable waters. The fol-
lowing streams have been supplied with the

Pedlar riyer....
North river near Kerr 3 creek............. 5000
herrs creek, ROckbridge... ..........,.... S,SoUo
whistle CREEK. 1'Soo
sourh river. mn
Jacksons river, Aiieghany county ...19,99oo
Dunlap creek. 'oon
Mill run 800
North river.
BnHa 10 .-..''.''.' S'S0
Mountain lake. Giles county. 5000
Escaped from hatch g-houSe. ............. 0-uOo
Lost In transportation. I'ooo
1t was my purpose to have distributed
these fish more widely than has been done ];
but as this would have materially increased
the expense it was thought best to put them
out at the most convenient eligible points.
A small number were put in the Mountain
Lake, as being The only water where such an
experiment could be made. Several thou
sand.mountain. trout have just been put in
this lake by the proprietor. These last
were brought from hatchlDg-house near
Baltimore. 1t is to be regretted that
the sum at the disposal OF the COM
mission was not sufficient to enaoie
anything to be done with the mountain
trout, which look upon as the best and
most desirable fish for large number OF the
choices. streams in the mountain districts OF
the State. While not so prolific as the bass
and some other varieties of fish, the trout Is
easily handled in the clearinghouse, and
can be prop gated to almost any extent, ana
at q comparatively small cost. We could
batch out million of trout at the Lexington
hatchery every year, which would make the
mountain streams of Virginia the most
attractive OF any in the country. Many
thousands Of dollars would thus be an
nually brought into the State by those
in search of health and pleasure. But
the mountain districts are not the
only ones to be benefited by the artii-
cial propagation of fish. Last spring over
1000, 900 Of young shad were hatched and
put into the Rappahannock river, and over
100000 in the Staupt0u river, in Campbell
county. Had The season been propitious,
30, 900 900 could just as easily have been put
Ia those rivers, and with little or no addi-
tional expense. II is desired during the ap-
preaching season to operate largely upon the
shad roCkfSh, sturgeon, and herring. To
accomplish much with these, however, it
will be necessary for the present Legislature
to increase the annual appro priation to the
Fish Commission. With $1,000 r year much
good could be done, and the foodsupply of
the people largely increased. There is 10
source from which so much profit can be
brought TO the people by 4 small expenditure
as by stocking our streams with good food
fish. made an estimate last year, which l
am sure is within the limit justified by the
facts, that the market value OF the black bass
alone caught during the year was greater
than the annual appropriation by the State
for fish-culture. Aud yet it must be remem-
bered that it is only q few years since we bad
these fish in any Of our streams, and even
now they are confined to very few. 1t may
be reasonably expected that within the. next
three or four years the streams which were
stocked last fall will be yielding liberal
quota to the common stock. 1t is safe
to estimate that every dollar judiciously
expended by the State in the propagation of
fish will yield thereafter an annual return OF
one hundred per cent. to the people. l have
not touched upon oySter-culture, though 1t
is perhaps the most important and valuable
of all the neglected industries of the State.
Another time I may perhaps say something
on the subject, but not now, as this commu-
nicaion is already much longer than had
intended it should be.
W. Z. ROBERTSON.
Lynchbrg, Va, February l, 1876.