Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-24


of piscculture-the artificial breeding of fish
by taking the spawn from the live fish and
Matching out the young fry. Tradition in
forms us that French monk, Dom Pinchon.
made this discovery in the lith century. If
so, the art seems to have been forgotten till
1853, when a memoir on the artificial hatch
ing of fish. and on the stocking OF rivers ana
ponds by Jacob, was published in German.
In 1887 Mr.. Shaw, in ScotlanF, practised
artificial impregnation for the pun pose Of re-
stocking the streams with salmon. The in
formation made known by jacob was utterly
lost to view, and it was not until the lapse OF
nearly one hundred years that re-discovery
of the facts published by him made sufficient
Judgement to become fixed, and tie art OF hsh
culture was fairly launched upon the world.
Nj. de Quatrefages, having been lea ny purely
scientific researches to occupy himself with
the propagation of fish, he, in 1919, presented
to the Academy of Sciences memorial on
that subject. The publication Of this docu-
ment at once called forth communication
from DIR. ilaXo, country physician, who re-
ported to the Academy that what was claimed
to be possible on scientific grounds, had Tor
several years been successfully accomplished
by two humble fishermen of the Nosges. The
Academy at once appointed committee to
investigate the truth OF tins report, ana Milne
Edwards proceeded forthwith to search Tor
the fishermen and receive their story lie
found at Bresse two men, Remy and Gehin.
whose observation OF the habits OF the brook
trout had led them to discover method
by which these hsh could be propagatcd at
pleasure, and the culture of other varieties
could no doubt be carried on IN similar
manner Inc story OF the SUFFERING PriVa-
ton, perseverance, shrewd observation ana
maj success OF these Two uhcdncated Usher
men, souhus more ike u romance IMAM a'crta-
pie history anu mas oiteh peeh toiu n Nus
tratihg 'r"i'S III nuiha, character WHICH h"oru
nopler view OF hhalklhu, anu oHcr encour-
agemeht 10 the huihpicst 10 perseNere uhtil
success crowns thelr ehortS' Joseph Kcny
was Il poor fisherman on the river bresse, III
France. flhdihg that year by year the trout
OF the mountain streams were iast disappear
ing, ana naturally tearing mat Ike otheilo'
ms occupation wouiu soon DC gone, ne sci 10
work TO STUDY the hablts OF the hsh To see II
he could discover the secret OF Their rapid
disappearance ana whether there was no
remedy. lie observed that toward the middle
ot November the trout ascehded the river I"
ma some trahlnii water IN which 70 lay their
eggs ne "a'ched the trout Win ne most
retiarkaoie patiehce' endurance anu accuracy
Oh obser'ation' lie concealed hltlse1 III the
TAN grass on thc palk Oh the stream, or some
times lodged IN the over'anging branches OF
trees. ana night ana DAY during the season OF
null moon undeterred by cold, regardless OF
fatigue, obvious OF munger, ne retained MS
post OF observation until ne learned the mn
portant secret whlch was destined To confer
such lasting dement, upon mankind. From
TINS concealed cover Kenny saw the female
trout run her Ventrlcle gently against the
gravel-bed OF the stream ana dlspiace little
DtDDItS Win ner tail 10 FORM n fain against
the rapidlty OF the current, and IN the inter-
suces deposit her eggs. Presently the male
hsh was seen to lhpregnate the eggs with
mllt- anu, AFTER the fecundatlon, the female
ehueaVo.eu 10 cover the eggs win san" 10
protect them from maranders or I" prevent
their being washed away ny the current.
Remy observed that Notwithstanding all OF
these precautions on the part OF the parents,
the setting was often broken up the currents
carried the eggs away or washed them upon
the shore, where they were eaten ny BIRDS,
destroyed by insects, drled up by the sun or
frozen ny the cola. Ills hrst thought was to
preserve the eggs from every specie OF dan
ger. lie cautiously removed then ana placed
them IN wooden box, provided with narrow
openings, when he submerged IN a secure
spot IN running stream. But iil-iuck at
tended ms nrst experiments; ana IL so nap
pehed that ne sometimes TOOK the eggs before
they had Decn covered ny the INIT OF the
male. NOT discouraged by All OIL thesc re-
pulses ne returned To MS post OF observation
renewed ms watchihg, ana by degrees a ilght
Oh intelligence began 10 oreak IN upon MN.
he saw 'nat 'he continual lrie'ioh Oh the
female against thc Dottoil Oh the stream hau
some other opJeet ttan ti,e preparation OF the
nest-that IL was 10 facliitatc the passage OF
the eggs. direct experiment soon proved
inc accuracy vi MS cohciusiohs' ne secureo
1eihale hsh' ana ny geh'ie pressure on the
Deiiy succeeueu III iorceihg out the ova'
Having noticed that inc maze initiated the
movements OF the lehiaie' he pracueeu inc
same h'ah'pula.lohs upon mae trout ana
allowed the mt 10 iaii upon .he eggs pre-
Viousiy secured lie aiso noticed that the
eggs Immediately lost their transparency ana
ne Regarded 'hiS opacity as u PROOF Oh success
r,;rht ho comn,oto !, ,vas onIv nocassar,. =,
nIaca tho es,gs in the;r natrraj cond;t;nn . nj
- ,i,o,,, 70 ,har,sal,,as +, ,,,,s &c.
froonon, f,;lnrns arr nr,;r;no zoaI ,y;,hon,
an, ,each;ng with only h;s own shro,,d md
ac;,,e ohserv,,;on thar Henry arrived n, hi,
rraat d;snnvory IJa conedod h;s sacra, ,n
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