Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-09

PRACTICAL FISH PROBLEMS.
Making . Study Of the sturgssa and
Other Food Fishes.
NOTES Or TEE WORK or rHx r1su ooxxms1ox-rHr
EXHIBIT AT cINcrNSArr-RksuLrs OF ruH sHAD
woRK-sALNoN CAUGHT IN TIE HupsoN-FrsH
cULTuRs AND THE FOOD surPLY.
A miniature waterfall dashing down into
rocky glen viii be the central figure In the United
states Fish Commission exhibit &C the Cincinnati
exposition, to open July l. At the foot Of the fan
VIII be pool OF water, dam, q miniature nsh-
way, and beyond It another pool Behind the
scenery OF rock will be pump with Q capacity OF
200 gallons per minute that will supply the water
fall The water, after 1t passes on from pool to
pool, will return to the pump. In the pools and
In aquaria placed In the rocks will be exhibits Of
live nsh representing the different species OF fishes
rock and water and woods will be placed taste
lly-arranged groups showing the apparatus en-
pioyed by the Commission In its nsh-eultural
any OF the species OF fish artifoially propagated
Dy the Commission there will be no practical ex-
position OF this work, but the methods employed
been placed in charge Of the division OF fsheries
by Col. Marshall Mcdonald the Fish Commits
natl.
THE sHAD WORK.
The work Of the Commission at the various shad-
Matching stations has been brought to o close for
the year. The season has been unusually sue
cessful. The Official statistics have not yet been
prepared. About 250, 900. 900 eggs have been
secured and Matched and the fry distributed. The
product OF the year is equal to one-haf Of the az
gregate product OF the ten preceding years, while
the cost OF the service has not been Increased
that or recent years. The young shad have been
Matched and deposited In streams at a cost OF
ABOUT cent for each hundred. Commissioner Nc
Donald ~ elo1
10 improvement in the methods and in the ad-
mnistration OF affairs at the Matching stations
for Woods HOll, where much work, from which
valuable results are expected, is going on.
LoBsTERs FOR THE PACIFIC.
The first car shipment Of young Holsters for the
west coast will be made from Woods Hoil station
about the 18th OF June. The Importance OF this
transfer, II successful can hardly be overesti-
successfully accomplished, though the expert
mentS which have been made by the United states
and by the Canadian Commissions with a view OF
give every promise OF 1t.
GATHERING EGGS FROM THE OCEAN.
The schooner Grampus, which is at work on the
New England coast, making Woods Holl the base
Of her operations. and going out as far as the Gulf
Stream, is collecting in scoop nets the eggs that
provided with apparatus for keeping the eggs in
good condition and delivering them at Woods
Holl. Much interest is attached to the expert
menCS Win these eggs, which are being developed
and hatched 1t is hoped that the collections thus
made will throw much light upon the habits
spawning grounds and spawning season OF many
species OF nSh, or fishes upon which the food
fishes subsist.
STUDYING THE STURGEON.
From q work which Commissioner Mcdonald in
trusted to Prof. Ryder results Of great economic
value are hoped for. This is a study OF the stur-
geon, with the view to determining the methods
followed arfffcfal oripp Tl,as
geon has been so neary exterminated In our rivers
as To make II no longer profitable 10 fish for them
When the Commissioner came TO inquire as to the
collected data concerning sturgeon 1t was found
that there was no Information at hand that would
serve as guide 70 the practical work OF artificial
propagation: SO ProL Ryder has been at work
on the Delaware making a study OF the life
history OF the sturgeon, with the especial view
10 settling the practical problem as to the
appliances TO be used In Matching young sturgeon
His research has settled one two points OF deep
interest TO naturalists. He has discovered, among
other things. that what have been considered as
two species are really IDENTICAL one being an older
fish than the other. AS the fish grows older GER
tain bones OF the nose and head stop growing
size, thus making marked change in the appear
ance OF the fish, and constituting what
l has been zen. regarded as separate
VIII be set forth in monograph In the next re-
port or the Commission. The propagation OF stur.
geEa Is con deemed &c important the sturgeon
poyment TO the fishermen OF the Atlantic rivers
at the close OF the shad season. The sturgeon
come into the rivers just about the time the shad
go out and remain month or six weeks. Now
the fishermen at the close Of the shad season nave
10 seek other employment. In many places they go
inland and work In the harvest field or In gather
ing fruit. IL they could fish for sturgeon their
condition would be improved.
THE FISH AND THE FISH SUPPLY.
Then 1t is held that the product OF such fisheries
would materially Increase the food supply Of the
country. 1t is estimated that the work OF carp
culture, carried on by the Commission, has added
1O.OOO.OOO pounds OF food year to the national
supply. The sh I'D work Of the Commission, Col
Mcdonald thinks, has added an equal amount of
nutritious 1oOd 10 the annual supply. This ad-
dition TO the resources OF the country, he claims
has not only direct economic value, but an in
people Of meats and other foods. When the prices
OF meat are advanced beyond the means OF the
poor, or those In moderate circumstances they are
enabled TO substitute cheap fish for meat This
competition. IL Is held, tends to keep down the
prices OF meat.
SALMON IN THE HUDSON.
The present season encouraging results are re-
ported from the experiment of stocking the Hud-
son with salmon. over two hundred salmon have
been caught In that stream. The stocking will be
kept up for three years longer, by which time 1t is
believed the natural increase will be sufficient TO
keep up supply, in case the state authorities
provide the necessary protection, ana construct
the required nshways. The salmon spawn In the
headwaters OF the streams they frequent, and as
the tributaries OF the Hudson ali come to that
stream with falls OF various heights 1t will be
necessary TO construct 1shwayS In order to keep
up the supply OF salmon.
A BURIED TREASURE.