Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-06-28

eioner for the Western Shore Of Mary
land, visited few days ago the scene
Of bis 6sh-hatching operations at Ha-
vrs-de-Graee. The season Was at its
height, and everything was found in
= hourishing condition. About g.
COCO young shad we're on hand,
ranging il aes from Que 10 i've days.
and about co.. 900 eggs were out for
Matching. Plenty Of ripe roe shad
are now caught, bat there Is some diff
Guilty 10 getting sufficient melt shad,
from which the milk j. obtained to
impregnate them. The male or melt
shad il 20 much smaller than the roe
shad that il goes through the meshes
OF the gila-nets. What males are
caught are large, though the ANAL
males are preferred. a. they are
thought 10 have greater formulating
powers.
The fsh are al Matched in open
boxes IN the river. The boxes are 2
By BY II feet with wire bottoms
After the eggs are mixed with the
milk drawn from the male they are
placed in these boxes and hatch out
in about three days. the weather reg
ulating the time. These boxes are
strung out in the river in rows and
protected By boom made Of logs.
Last year o great many fish were lost
by storms. waves running breast high
where she boxes we're placed, bat this
season none have been lost. Each
box contains about go, 900 young shad.
Rowing out TO the boxes. an ordinary
tin dipper was used to examine into
the condition Of each box. A ladle-
ful Of the contents vas estimated to
hold about 5000 young shad. They
looked like pieces Of white thread,
half an inch long. with two black
spots in one end. These spots were
the eyes, which are always the most
prominent part Of young fish. Eggs
IL days old were clear as crystals,
save the little black specks for eyes.
The young shad are not fed at all.
Young trout are fed with the boiled
yelk Of egg grated or bonny -clabber
but there Is no known food for young
shad. No effort is made TO feed them
but they are turned out when a week
old in favorable places where there is
grass to protect them and where the
insect life in the grass will aid them
TO live. Under the neck of each little
fish is pouch that contains susie.
nance to last some days. Thursday
1000, 600 young shad were put in tin
cans with ice and taken to the Severn
river. The ice floats on top and the
fish 60 down towards the bottom.
The ice keeps the fish cool and also
renews the oxygen in melting. They
were turned out four or Eve miles
above Annapolis. where insects and
flies deposit eggs in the water on the
grass. After this the Patuxent river.
in the neighborhood of Laurel. viii
receive 100000. The Patspsco. near
the Relay House will be given 500.
700. Other waters will be attended
to later.
The United States fish.hatchina
boat at HSvre-de-Grace has pump
which forces the water up on board
and the fish are all Matched in the
boat. At the State Matching place
the eggs are simply placed in boxes
and 'put in the river. This last il
what Is wanted to educate the farmer
ap 10 producing his supplies Of young
iish: If he kills of his hogs and poui-
try be has to raise more. In the same
way he will have 10 raise more youno
fish when inland lakes and streams
shall become seriously depleted by
the drains upon them. 70 do this
the farmer viii not need expensive
apparatus. An old trough or tight
box will do. The boxes can have
gravel in them or a wire bottom. |
They can of course be as well Matched |
IN house, glass cans or jars being
used, but it ID not mt all necessary |
A horse trough with spout of water |
running into It will hatch the fish as !
well. The object of artificial propa. |
cation II to prevent fish eating the |
spawn, and to carry tish into waters
where they are needed. Trout eat
their own spawn with avidity. Shad |
do not eat their spawn; perch, catfish
and cells follow them for the purpose
Of eating it. A half million OF Young |
perch have been put in the Susque-
hanna this season.
The headquarters Of the fsh-hatch- |
ing operations in in the fsh-house Of
Messrs. Seneca & Mahan, on the riy-
or shore, where the railroad cars used
to cross on the steamer. The ware.
house presents . busy appearance.
The fish are brought in through tn.
day, but principally at night. They
are the products Of the gill nets, fyke
net, set nets, traps and other fish
catching contriyances, but not of the
seins, most of which have ''cut out"
Catfish are received in large auanti-
ties. They are skinned and cleaned
and packed in ice, az are the sbad.
cells and other fish. About 700 tons
Of ice Will be used at the place this
sOason.-Bel Air Times.