The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-11-01

As we remarked last week, the
North Carolina Fish Department -of
| Agriculture" has had over four years
fair trial, and has put forth enough
young salmon. shad, etc. to populate
every stream in the State. We are
nothing of a fisherman. but some Of our
friends have promised Is quite Il
bunch When there is more fish and
less fishing. Without at all wishing to
detract from the fidelity with which the
Fish Commissioner and his assistant
stocked the streams we must assume
from what we hear that the chief sue
cess of the Department thus far has
been in the direction of stocking private
ponds. and mill-dams, for gentlemen of
means thing very desirable in its
way, if the way were also private
Discourag,ng signs come from other
quarters. New York, YOU know. was
the birth place of fish breeding by arti-
fetal means. The Report of the New
L VI n Val L 81 NOilillIhSSl'lItI " 100.
contains the tollowing:-
"Salmon trout will not remain in run
Ming streams. no matter how pure the
water. and the lordly salmon himself is
SO particular about the temperature Of
tile water he inhabits that human inves-
t CATION has hardly vet been able to tell
just what it should be.
Doubtless the failure to establish the
California salmon i'll the waters of the
| Atlantic coast cOmeS from this element
of temperature. Certain it is that the
trial has been faithfully made. OF the
millions upon millions of the fry OF this
fish carefully procured, transported at
much expense from his native waters,
and Matched i'll nearly every tish-cultural
establishment i'll the Union, practically
none survive to tell the tale OF their
fate. What becomes Of them we do not
know. If they live to get to the ocean
they do not return to the p~aternal
stream at the annual spawning, or IN
other time. They hatch readily and
grow rapidly i'll the early stages. but
none of over two years growth are Of
ten seen anywhere. We have record OF
some found in a small stream where
lIitN liiu bttIl lliIlitu lOuI NtdlS DtIOlt,
but which. after the second year, had
made no progress, but were true dwarts.
with biz heads. meagre bodies and fee
bic action. There have been. also. Il
lew instances where the fish, the result
of planted fry. have been found of the
weight of two pounds. but these have
been in waters from which there was no
~onSenlcnt escape.
OF all fish that have come under the
observation of the Commission none
Lave done a. well. according to the
cost. a. the black bass, usually STYLED.
III contradistinc'ion Of others OF this
general family. the " small-mouthed
bass" This fish does its own hatch
ing and attends to It's own nur ~ du-
ties. OF vigorous. Vet clean appetite.
he grow alace. and where the location
suits him. takes a lease for life. with a
contingent interest for his posterity. \
good black bass lake or stream Will bcar
more fishing 10 the acre than any other
fish water. The Oswego bass and the
perch pike are also cheaply procured,
easily kept and are profitable for both
food and sport.
Ii the commissioners had to choose
from the whole fish calender il variety
with which the most could be done with
the least cost they would decide in ia
vor of the bass. They are the mamma
and the quails of the wilderness.