The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-20

We have river Tay stocked with salmon but nestno
among green hills between four and five hundred
ponds and lakes with total area of some 1875 900 acres
AS tributaries or outlets to these bodies of water we have
nnumerable mountain streams which broaden into rivers
as they flow into and through the valleys fortified bv
them.
The majority of these waters the native haunts of
the speckled trout In addition to the trout MANY of
waters abound in great variety of fish, the LEADING
being bass landocked salmon, salmon trout pike nike
perch and pickerel.
On our western border and than half of it within
our limits is historic Lake Champan noted FORTS beauty
and remarkable for its varieties of fish Many sportsmen
are attracted to its shores by the abundance of aouatc
birds in the vicinity. This may be said also of Lake
Memphremagog on northernjborder For the hunter
cartridges will always be the game which gives the most
sport and the best results food supply Nearly all
the large game native to forests has become extinct
but deer are increasing rapidly evidenced by the fire.
quent reports of their being in our rural districts
Under the wise law enacted by last Legislature their
protecnon from slaughter has been continued until No
vember l. 1900 At present they very tame and it is
question whether it will not be advisable to continue
their protection for indefinite PERIOD as they would be
quickly extermnated if the fostering care of the State
were withdrawn
Woodcock furnish as good sport as in other States Of
England. Quail have been introduced several times
but it appears doubtful if they endure the severity of
our winters.
English pheasants have recently been introduced bv
Dr. Webb at his Shelburne FARMS and the result of his
of game birds would undoubtedly thrive in Vermont and
any efforts in this direction should receive the hearty en-
dorsement of everyone. Rabbits and squirrels though
decreasing in numbers, still abundant, and are
source of much sport to the hunter.
have attempted to briefly state our resources in the
way of fish and game supply 1t has been asserted by
the authorities in the Fish Commission and Geological
Survey of the United States, that within century the
waters OF this country will supply much food as the
land produces, and by that time water farms will have
q as
profitable now, for given area than the till
ing of the most fertile soil Were it possible to obtain
accurate report of the fish and game taken in Vermont
during season, the value a food supply would
doubtless be surprising The chief value to our State
however, not the fish and game themselves either for
the market consumption food is in the attrac-
ton afforded not only to residents of State but to the
thousands of visitors who flock our lakes and
hills every season, that fish and game supply is be-
coming such important factor in the economy of every
rural community.
With the efforts being put forth by the railroad compa
MES, and very generayby the inhabitants to call outside
attention to the attractions of Vermont it is but natural
to expect summer tourists in greater numbers each year.
If would retain hold upon this desirable element
in the economy of our State must keep up our at
fractions
Farmers not without some reason when they make
some such remark as "Fishemen are nuisance ANYWAY
But they must admit when taking broad view of the
question: that the fishermen patronize the railroads. and
better accommodations for everybody They cause
hotels to be built and bring their families They hire
boats and guides and patronze the country stores Last
but not least they buy much abused abandoned
hillside FARMS, and make summer homes of them The
farmer sells his Chickens eggs, butter, lambs etc. and
gets better price at home than formerly at distant
and uncertain market 1t is the fisherman or summer
tourist who the demand for what he raises and
he gets his pay in hard cash.
Clubs are being formed in various parts of the State
whose membership is made up largely of non-resdents
These clubs buying up land for fish and game pre-
serves By dammng the brooks to form ponds or series
of pools, many of abandoned farms can be turned
into fish and game preserves indirectly productive
to the wealth of the State than many fertile farms
now under a state OF cultivation.
1t has been demonstrated in other States that artificial
will do much towards restoring depleted
waters to their former condition. The New York Com
mssoners report say that there is better fish
ing to-day than when the Commission was organized
some twenty years ago. There is nowhere more prac-
tica illustration of the effects of restocking streams
perhaps, than in Rutland County, where some twelve
years ago few thousand rainbow trout escaped from
private pond into East Creek About in three trout
now taken from this stream the rainbow variety
Previous to this event the rainbow trout unknown
our local fishermen Several have been taken this year
ranging in weight from to three pounds. There is
probably State in New England in which little prac
a attention has been paid either to preserving what fish
and game have to restocking woods and waters
in Vermont The Legislature has made any appro
1riatons which would permit commission to devote its
line to the subject of fish and game preservation and
At the last session. however in addition
the regular allowance to the commission, appropr-
ton was made sufficient to provide for the construction
md maintenance of hatchery 1t is hoped that this
will soon be "hatcbed" that may lose time in re-
olenishng our depleted waters and introduce vare-
for hinh ares WE'LL ada ed