Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-04-03
Culture of Food Fish.


At the meeting in New York, Tuesday, OF
the American Fish Cultural Association. |
some interesting papers were read
A lecture on the propagation of the oyster
illustrated by charcoal sketches. vas gwen
by DIR. Brook. of Johns Hopkins L University.
He said he believed that he was the discover
er OF the method BY which the American oys-
ter propagates lis species. and that he had
solved problem that had long perpiexed
students of natural history. European nat
uralists are agreed, he said. that the oysters
which are found in European waters hatch
their eggs and carry their young for certain
time within the shell. This may be true, but
in that case they are different from the Amer
lean oyster. Last Summer made series
of experiments at Cresfield, an oyster town
in MARYLAND. TO find out the method of prop
agation and 10 attempt the impregnatlon OF
eggs artifcially. The result was that 1t was
found that American oysters do not breed
their Young within the shell, and that the eggs
can be fortified artiicallv in the SAME man
ner as those of the fish. There is no way TO
discover the male from the female oyster eX-
cept by the use of the microscope The eggs
of the oyster are nfinitesimal in size. of differ
ent irregular shapes, and have
clear spot in the centre. An average
and one of large size may contain as
many as fifty millions. The plan pursued IN
fertiIzng the egg is to chop the male and fe
male oysters up together, and thus the fluids
are mixed and the impregnation Is made COM
plete. Immediately the process of develop
ment begins and goes on so rapidly that a
change can be noted every fifteen seconds.
In few hours the embryo is sufficiently
formed to swim in the water. The shells al
first are very small and are not adjacent TO
each other. They grow very rapidly, closing
down over the sides, and finally unite and
form the hinge. In the short time of twen-
ty-four hours the young oyster is able to take
food, and from three days to aweek it attains
perfect form. During its early life it is
swimming animal. At one time | had as
many as half million Of embryonic oysters
in a watch crystal-at certain stage of de-
yelopment. An oyster is able to reproduce
its species after attaining years growth,
and it is marketable at the age of three years.
These experiments were so complete and sue
cessful that it loft no doubt in my mind that
oysters can be propagated arttcially with
success"
In answer to the question why oysters were
not fit for during the months that did not
contain the letter ''r,' the Professor replied
that they were good when taken fresh from
the water. But during the spawning season
they become easily spoiled on account Of the
breaking of the eggs in handling them.
Mr.. c. S. Page next read short paper on
the introduction of the black bass into Maine,
and then the subject of the lobster business
was brought before the meeting by Mr.. 5. Nj.
johnson. of Boston, and Mr.. George Chap
pell of Fulton Market, both of whom are
large dealers. The Holsters. it seems, are
actually being exterminated by the practice
of catching them so young that they have not
reproduced their kind. 1t was about equiva-
lent, said Mr.. johnson, to killing the egg.
Mr.. Blackford remarked that out of 80 pounds
weight of such fish only ) pounds of meat
could be obtained. Mr.. Chappell spoke
warmly on the subject, asserting that if the
business was not stopped before very long
they would have no Holsters at all. In Mas
sachusetts and Maine the law forbade the
catching or selling, under penalties, of lob
sters less than 100 inches in length, but as
there was no law against il in New York, the
fishermen sent them here to be sold A lob
ster of 101 inches, it is known, has grown old
enough to reproduce but, Mr.. johnson said,
it would be better to have no Holsters brought
in under II inches; yet if they could begin
with the less size the other could wait. Pres
ident Roosevelt said that this subject had been
brought before them last year by Mr.. John
son, and they were unanimous that the prac-
tice of catching these immature fish must be
stopped.