The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-20
SHAD FRY In OUR RIVERS.
EKsH BY THE MILLIONS FOR GEOR-
GA FISH RATERS-

Open Waters In the Last Two Years
The Rivers OF Georgia the Best in thu
Country for Fish Perpendicular
man Carp Abundant in the Open
Waters, and Over 500 Ponds Stocked
with Tnem-The Mountain Streams
to be Stocked with Mountain Trout
DR.. b. h. Cary, state fish Commissioners,
talked very entertainingly OF the work Of
his commission to a MORNING NEWS re-
porter on the occasion OF his visit 20 Savan-
nah last Wednesday. DR.. Cary says that
no money was appropriated by the last
legislature for a state hatchery, and
he SAYS that the incoming legis-
laturs ought to appropriate at least
$1,000 TO establish q fish hatchery,
as Georgia has the best system of rivers
in the United States for the propagation of
fish.
GEoRGIAs SUPERIOR RIVERS.
No other state has 50 many rivers, fed by
mountain streams and so easy to reach in
planting the fish fry, saws DIR. Cary, and he
thinks that at least 100, 000,0 900 Of shad fry
should be put in the rivers of Georgia, and
If this were done he says that IN few years
the shad will be so plentiful that the
D6Opl6 CAL SAT- tutlu lOF bIo liza Actf
as 1t is done on the North Atlantic coast.
The expense of planting would be
very small matter when compared with
the immense revenues which would follow
from the prolific industry. He estimates
that the cost would not exceed cents per
1000, or a total expense OF $1,000. DIR.
Cary has for many years taken deep In
tsrest in fish culture In Georgia, and In 1874
the state agricultural society requested
him to obtain facts bearing upon the fish
culture, where it had proved a success in
other states, and at the annual convention
of the society in Brunswick two years later
he presented an exhaustive report, which
resulted 10 the passage of the law under
which the state fish commission IS now act
ing. In fact, DR.. Cary, as 1t is we'll known
in Atlanta, was himself the author Of the
bill.
NEARLY 100000 sHAD PLANTED.
DR.. Cary was asked how many fish fry,
in round numbers, have been planted by
the Georgia state fish commission, and in
reply he said that within the last two years
they have planted IL, 500, 600 Of fish fry Ia
the open waters of Georgia The state was
divided into three districts, and, commeno-
ing with the Savannah river, every
river in the state. great and small,
had its proportion. The Savannah river
received about 200, 900. DR.. Cary says that
OcAOIG any cu1l AlJ udo bocn PAhuJSu HO
shad came up in any Of the
rivers that flow into the gulf;
now every one of these rivers have
returned shad. As a result OF the success
of shad planting in the rivers emptying
into the gulf, DIR. Cary says shat some
white shad were caught in the Withla-
coochee river near Quitman last year.
This is considered greater triumph.
as the river is a small one. Two specimen
nf the chad pannhf nuifuaan M
to the United States fish commission and
identified as the genuine white shad Of the
Atlantic. In round numbers, DR.. Cary
says, more shad have been caught in Georgia
this year than in any preceding year
Shad live Ia the deep sea until spring, when
they 60 up the rivers to spawn, and return
TO the ocean. In this respect they differ
from the salmon, which go up the rivers in
the fall 1t is said that no salmon are ever
caught or met with In the ocean.
FAILURE WITH CALIFORNIA SALMON.
DR.. Cary says that the state fish commits
sion tried the California salmon six or eight
years age, planting $1,000 fish from the North
Carolina hatchery, but they were never
heard from, and he says they have not sue
ceeded with the California salmon in any
of the rivers of the South Atlantic coast,
and he suppoSes that it Is because the waters
ot the southern rivers are too warm. The
cdi1lOu W uOb up any Ol Iub IlVoTh blIS
side of the Alleghanies. Shad, he says,
have been propagated on the Pacific coast
and have done well, although the United
States fish commission transported them by
rail across the continent. Next spring DIR.
Gary says he hopes to get 5000, 900 or
5000, 100 of shad fry from the United States
commission.
The white shad do not take the hook, but
the Connecticut shad will readily do SO, and
(NarU ip0t hO ha txu - A.
Connecticut shad have been retained in
southern waters. He says that 40, 900 Con-
necticut shad fry were planted in the Chat
tahoochee river, and that last spring they
came up the river as high as Columbus,
where they were caught with the hook and
line.
THE PROLIFIC GERMAN CARP.
The United States fish commission have
had phenomenal success with German
carp. Since 1879 500 ponds in Geor-
gia have been stocked with German carp.
which were literally furnished by the
United States fish commission, which has
done so much to encourage the fish industry
OF Georgia. Three wears ago the United
States fish commission planted nearly 20. 900
German carp in the open rivers of the state,
Three lines were drawn across the state in
an easterly and westerly direction, and the
herman carp were planted in every river
"a
and, as result of this. DR.. Cary says the
German carp are now found in all the
rivers of Georgia, and have been caught
weighing as much as 16 and Is pounds
They grow rapidly in open waters aud are a
most excellent table delicaoy. DIR. Cary says
that he has pond IN which German carp
are plentiful, the overflow of which emptieF
in Long Cane creek, in Troup county Re
Gently friend of his told him that he had
caught 100 pounds of carp this year in one
of the deep holes Of the creek, and was at q
loss TO know how carp ever got there, until
DIR. Cary explained that the very smallest
sized fish had been carried by the overflow
water into the creek and thus stocked
1t with carp, which have obtained full
growth and are very plentiful. So rapidly
have the German carp multiplied in the
open waters of the state during the pas,
three years that DIR. Cary says he does not
think it necessary to plant any more in the
open waters, as the rivers are well stocked
TO PLANT MOUNTAIN TROUT.
DR.. Cary expects to investigate the prac-
ticabllity of stocking the mountain
streams with mountain trout. He says
there are only about six counties in the
state where the mountain trout can be
safely planted, and the only reason the ex.
pertinent has not been made before this
time is on account of the lack of funds
He hopes, however, that the fish commission
viii rot be embarrassed next year from q
like cause, as he believes the farmer legis
lature will favor a liberal stocking of Qaor.