The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-29
NORTH CAROLINA.

| NORId CAROLlNA,
EXTENSIVE FIsH-CULTURE-TwESTY MILLION
sHAD HATCUED OUT AND DTsrRIBUTED-NEW
METHOD OF HATCnISG PROPOSED.
(Correspondcncc OF the Richmond Dispatch
RALEIGH, n. c., March %. 1883.
| II is very satisfactory 10 know that the
artificial propagation OF iood-fish and fish
culture generally bid fair TO keep the hold
that they already have on the North Caro-
lima spirit OF enterprise. Since 1877 the
State has by statute provided for the
protection, propagation, and culture
OF fish in its inland waters. Gov
ernor Vance began his third term rs
Governor in that year, and il was pet
plan OF his to stock the streams of the State
| first with fish that would have a direct
value as food supply for the poor and
rich. and then with game fish for the lively
| pleasure Of the angler. The Board OF
Agriculture was charged with the super
vision OF measures to effect this object, and
directed to provide for stocking the streams
with the most approved breeds OF fishes
and to avail itself OF such aud rs the Fish
Commission OF the United States might
be induced to extend.
As q proper location for the Matching
and care Of young shad Avoca, on Abe
marie sound, where the Roanoke empties
into it, was chosen, and hatchery was es-
tabliShed there. 1t is the seat of Dir. W. H..
Capehart's large fishery, is very near Scotch
Hall, another fishery Of the Capeharts. and
is accessible to the Holly. Sutton, and the
Wood fisheries, on the Edenton side
OF the sound. These fisheries furnish the
shad from which tie eggs are stripped.
When il IL remembered that the average
catch OF shad at the Albemarle fisheries is
from $4,000 TO 100000, it Will be seen that
place has been well chosen a. 4 point Of
supply. lis position rs point OF distribu-
ton j. not less advantageous. There Is
transportation by rail TO Norfolk, whence
the Seaboard and Wilmington railroads,
crossing the rivers that flow into the Attain
tic, and up which shad run, are easily
reached; and there is water transportation
all through the Albemarle and PamlicO
sections. The shad-fry are put INTO the
streams at convenient points below the line
OF dams, nearly all Of which are east OF the
Wilmington and Weldon railroad, whence
they go to sea, and at the end OF two and
three years return to these same streams
and ascend them as far as the Instructions
will permit.
Tile hatchery is a plain pine-plank house,
with row OF coves around its inner walls,
into which fresh water OF the proper tenn
perature is pumped from a creek hard by.
The eggs are kept in these coves until
Matched out, and when the fry are five days
old they are put into cans and distributed
| by messengers travelling rs rapidly as pos
sible to the streams which il is designed 10
stock. Commissioner Stephen G.. Worth
has been in charge Of this important work
since it was begun, and has made quite a
reputation in his specially. Twenty mill
| lion shad have been hatched out and
released since lie began his opera
tons in 1877. Dir. Worth left for
the sound on Monday night. lie
will have under his direction by the
end Of the week force Of twenty-five
men, many OF whom have served with him
for number OF years, and are proficient
in their work. IL is rough, unpleasant Ia
Dor, involving exposure and loss of sleep,
but it has fascination like army life, and
one who has endured it longs for it again
when the spring comes round.
This season Dir. Worth win try the eype-
rment OF Matching shad-eggs on trays
made Of canton flannel. III the results are
as satisfactory rs he hopes and believes that
they will be he will enlarge his work, and
will put messengers on the boats that ply
between Plymouth, GAINESVILLE, &C., and
Edenton to collect the eggs at fisheries
along the route, and they will hatch them
on the trays and send them to their desti-
nations direct.
The ha'ching is very simple affair. The
eggs are stripped from the ripe shad- that
Is, shad ready TO spawn-by a gentle,
even pressure OF the fore-fnger and thumb,
and fall on the soft, damp surface OF the
canton-ilannel tray. The nit is similarly
stripped over them, and they are kept
moist and cool. 1t requires but little eX-
perience TO see how many OF the eggs are
impregnated in day or SO; and il the
whole spawn is thus impregnated, and Is
in good, healthy condition, 1t can be safe
ly carried hundCeds OF miles by keeping it
moist and at proper temperature, and put
in streams 10 hatch out in normal ele-
ment and condition.
Mr.. Worth will also try to hatch arti-
fcially bass or rock. II this proves prac-
ticable Ii will greatly increase the supply
OF this fayorite fish. Connecticut shad that
were placed in the Cape Fear three years
ago have been caught there this season,
aud they were strangers to these waters.
Ihe DUCK shad return IN two yearS-the
roe shad in three years; and as the run Of
shad at the Albemarlc fisheries followed
these well-established habits by showing a
preponderance OF buck shad caught the
second year after considerable number
had been released in. those waters, and
preponderancc OF roc shad the third year
after this release, it is considered that the
regular return Of the shad to the waters in
which they were hatched Is proved. OF
course there are always doubling Thomases,
especially about fish stories; but they don't
count.
Virginia is pro1tlng by this work in
small measure, ns about $4,000 fry have
been put in the Meherrin aud million and
half In the Bhckwater. OF course, thou
sands 20 above the State line to give the
good Virginia neighbors a taste Of this
prime fish, the sbad, aud smack of the
cnterDrise Of their North arol,na hrethren