The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-01-16
FARMERS COLUMN.
The Vase Of Seeds and Eggs by Natures
Methods.

1t is somewhat singular to note the
similarity with which nature has carried
out her designs in the seemingly over
production of the millions of seeds of
| plants and trees, and the millions of
eggs fish are made to produce. Many
millions of each perish if left to them
selves, leaving comparatively few to
grow, and of these but small percent
age ever reach maturity.
As with plants, so with fish. A wise
Director has given them large quantities
of eggs, knowing that with these, as with
seeds, many are destined never to reach
maturity, and for causes. though widely
different in their nature, yet compare
lively the same. When the eggs arc
first emitted from the female fish, the
chances are more than even that they
will not be vitalized by coming in con-
tact with the living germs of the male
fish, and in case they do not, they are
worthless, and if not deyoured by some
other fish or insects, they soon decay,
| and are lost to sight. If the egg has
been properly vitalizcd, let us follow it
through and see some Of the numerous
dangers which beset it, before ii shall
have changed its form into fish. In
the first place, all kinds of fish are fond
of spawn as food, and considcrit it great
delicacy: hence they are constantly on
| the lookout for the tempting morsel. A
large number of water-bugs, reptiles,
and many birds and quadrupeds also,
look upon spawn as desirable food, so
that the eggs are in constant danger of
being devourcd by some one of their
many voracious enemies. We will sup
pose the egg has escaped destruction, and
the little prisoner has broken through the
Shell, With many kinds of fish. when
the young fry first emerge from the egg,
it is encumberel with Il yolk sac, larger in
bulk than all the rest of it put together.
this sac extends from the gills to the
vent, and as long as this remains, the
little fish does not require food. The
length of time the the sac remains on
the fry, varies with different kinds of
fish. With the fall-spawning kinds of
fresh water fish, as the brook trout.
salmon trout, salmon, etc, it usually
requires from thirty to forty-tive days,
before it is absorbed. With the fish
which cast their spawn in the spring
and summer, rs the bass, shad, perch,
ETC., but few days are required before
they are relieved of natures nursing
bottle. This is one great reason why a
larger percentage Of the spawn and
young fish of the springspawners survive,
because it takes them such short time
to develope sufficiently to protect them.
selves somewhat from their enemies, by
escaping and hiding. While with the
fall spawncrs, which are from sixty to
one hundred days, and sometimes even
longer in Matching, they are much more
liable to be destroyed. The difference
in the time of hatching, depends upon
the temperature of the water; the
warmer it is the sooner they hatch.
With the spawn taken in the fall, eao !,
degree of warmth in the water hastcl.
the Matching period FIVE days, and each
degree of cold rctardS it for the same
length of time. While with the spring
spawners, each degree of heat or cold,
makes about one day difference in
hatching.-SErH GREEN in An. Agri-
cuitWiSt.