Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-05-14
WEST RANDOLPH VT. MAY Ia. 1891.

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and solitude. Where can this be foun'
in greater abundance than upon ou
mountains and along our hill-tops ant
among the deserted farms that are s,
rapidly growing up to forest Fish re
quire fresh air. No part of the coun
try can furnish more fresh air to tn,
square mile in the same length of tim,
than can be found on the SUBMITS o
our rock-ribbed watersheds. Fish re-
quire exercise. They are sportiye an
imals. A healthy whale or tarpon OF
even fair-sized trout will keep the
average fisherman dancing by the hour
With the anticipated influx of summer
boarders this can easily be secured. In
the near future we expect to see these
latter chasing the fish across our pas
lures and through the meadows and up
the trees, thus affording all the exer-
else essential to vigorous growth.
1t seems to us, in looking over the field
that there can be nothing wanting to
make fish culture a success in Vermont.
1t is true we have not much water, not
many of our streams are so large but
that an average trout could wade across
them. But it is proposed to bring fish
eggs here and hatch them out under
new conditions. The presumption is
that they viii be adapted to their en-
vironment, in the course of two or
three generations at least. The ques-
tion for our new fish commissioners to
take into consideration relates primari-
ly to the kind of fish best adapted to
our soil. The smaller breeds are t. be
recommended on some accounts. They
are less liable to swallow cats and dogs
and other small game that lurk about
the farm houses, and to bite the child
rem while these latter are on their way
to school. There is this disadvantage
however, in introducing this kind of
stock. Our pasture fences are built Of
brush, wire, rails, etc., intended to
''head off, horses, sheep, cattle, etc.
The smaller fish could easily slide un-
der, OF lift themselves over, or glide
through between the rails. If the at
tempt is made to pasture fish on our
hillsides, of the varieties referred to a.
bove, it will be necessary to substitute
a new kind of fence for those now pre-
vailing. On some accounts the larger
breeds of fish are to be recommended.
There is an advantage in cultivating
the whale and the shark. Whenever
you catch one you have fish enough to
last until you have time to catch an
other; and besides, their bones are not
continually sticking in your throat. 1t
would not be necessary to change the
present system of fencing very much,
for if whale turned out to pasture un-
dertook to be frisky and overpass the
bounds set for him, it would require
long study to determine whether he
was on either side Cf the fence. But,
it should be taken into consideration
that the larger kinds of fish have vora-
cious appetites. Nothing organic or
inorganic comes amiss. We might
find that we had introduced a new enc
my with whom we must keep up con-
slant warfare. Besides, it is we'll
known fact that the demand for the use
of organs win result in the develop
ment of the needed organs. None of
the larger kinds Of fish can get about
over our rough and stony soil in their
condition, in an advantageous
way. We must expect in a few years
10 see these animals stalking through
our fields like the enormous insects of
the paleozoic ages. Then, indeed,
would it be hard for a stranger to de-
termine whether Vermont was progress
ing backward or retrograding forward.
Our advice to the commissioners would
be to introduce both the larger and the
smaller kinds as both possess qualities
hat commend them to our considera-
ion. Besides, the larger fish eat up
he smaller, and this would serve for
our protection by diverting their atten-
ion. We commend this scheme, but
rust it will not demoralize the people
Dy increasing the amount of Sunday
fishing. We never caught a fish on