Daily Kennebec journal., 1878-04-11

PROTECTION OF FISH AND CANE.
GENTLEMEN At the inauguration of the
"Kenneksc Association for the Protection
of Fish and Came deem it proper for the
presiding officer to say something of the OBJ
lects we have in view, and what we expect 10
accomplish. The primary object of this soci
ETY. is to protect the fish of the Kennebec wa
ters, and the game in our fields and forests.
But we mean to do more than to enforce the
laws. We must study the habits OF fish and
game; We must observe well their seasons of
| spawning and breeding and study their man.
ner of propagation so that, we can replen-
ish depleted waters and forests by artificial
means, and this knowledge we must commu-
nicate to the people. We must make fish and
game more abundant, and bring back to our
section something of the plenty of our grand
fathers days. The energetic Fish Commits
| sioners of Maine, and such sporting papers
| as the Forest and Stream and "Rod and
| Gun" have done much to instruct US as to
the value of protective laws and in introduc-
| ing game fish into new waters. 1t is our
province 10 aid in disseminating such useful
knowledge and to foster and educate pub
| lie opinion In all that relates to the better
preservation of fish and game.
|
ments, to our extensive field of operation.
What grand field we have to work in The
| Lake system of Maine is the finest almost III
the world The "Hydrographic Survey of
Maine" states .'thcre are but three
or four districts on the globe, not
more extensive than Maine, and equal
| ly habtable in other respects, upon
which an equal number of receptacles for im-
pounding rain fall of not inferior capacity and
surface, is to be found" The total count of
lakes and ponds, represented upon the maps,
as connected with our rivers within the State,
not including the multitudes of small ponds
scattered about the State in such profusion
that almost every neighbOrhood and school
district has one, and not including the great
number of small ponds in the wilderness dis
trcts which are not represented upon any
map-is not less than ,568. In fact, the
| Kennebec river has more lakes connected with
1t than the gigantic Orinoco, and the Penob-
| scot more than the Amazon, or all the rivers
| in Africa SO far AS known,
The lakes of Maine possess at the lowest
estimate deduciblc from the various state and
county maps. and the plans of the State
Land Office, combined area OF 2,300 square
miles. To the above figures should be added
| 900 square miles of river and stream sur
| face, giving grand total of 3 200 square
miles OF inland water. Maine contains more
| lake surface than million square miles of tho
United States. situated in the central and
west central districts, south of the great
lakes. There are in the State one lake to
each 90 square miles of territory, and one
square mile Of lake to II square miles of
area.
The Iacustrine system of the Kennebec,
a. exhibited on the State map, shows 81
lakes and ponds. The number due to the
size of the basin, according to the mean dis
trbution of lakes throughout the State, is
900 So that the numerical excess il about
seven per cent.
| The early settlers of Maine found our lakes
and rivers swarming with the best kinds of
game and food fsh--salmon, trout, shad and
aewives-were abundant, with free and un-
obstructed passage to the head waters of s.
Isl streams, which 60 rushing down to the
sea. To find good fishing, at the present day,
you must go to Moosehead Lake, the upper
watels Of the Kennebec, Rangely lakes. or
Aroostook. There are but few places in the
world where better sport can be found than
in these waters. In few years, black bass
will be plenty in all the ponds in Kennebec
county, and afford superb sport for the an.
gler.
| Nearly half the area of the State, about
| 800 square miles, is still covered with
prmeyal forests. In these dense woods whose
silent depths have never echoed to the set
tiers axe, game is still found, though not in
the abundance of former days. Moose are
growing scarce, and no wonder. In 1861,
three men in Aroostook during the deep snow
and crust, in March and April of that year.
slaughtered 80 moose, for their hides, leav-
ing their meat in the woods to rot. | am
glad. that at least, a law has been passed to
prevent the wanton destruction of this noble
animal. Moose, caribou and deer, are be-
coming scarce, and if nothing had been done
to stop this lndiscriminate slaughter, they
would soon become extinct in Maine The
finest kinds of ur-bearng game, are still
plenty in our forests, such as the otter, sa-
be mink, fisher, wolf, lynx, fox. bear, etc.
| am informed by the Hon. s. j. Chadbourne,
Secretary of State, that I'll bears were killed
in Maine in 1876, for which the State paid a
bounty. Our principle game birds, are the
ruffed grouse, Canada grouse, woodcock,
snipc, plover, wild geese, and great variety
of wild ducks.
Sportsmen are generally ardent admirers of
the beauties OF nature therefore, trust,
shall be pardoned, for referring to the seen
cry of Maine. For;
81 love my own States pine-clad hills,
Her thousand bright and gushing rils,
Her sunshine and her storms
Her rough and rugged rocks that rear
Their hoary heads high in the air,
In Wild fantastic forms"
Wherever you may 90 on the waters of
the Kenncbec, yon will find grand and ro-
mantle scenery, that will make the eye of the
landscape painter flash with delight
The kennebec valley is renowned for its
beautiful and picturesque scenery. No finer
views can be obtained on the historic Potomac
or romantic Hudson. Whoever rides from
Norridgewock to the Moose river bridge,
must be impressed with the grandeur of the
beautiful river, winding among the surround
ing hills especially, If it be when the foli-
age wears that beautiful golden hue peculiar
| to Maine forests in autumn. One of the low
liest places | ever saw is Holeb Falls on
Moose river, tributary of the Kennebec.
| This sylvan cascade is walled in by attractive