Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-01-23
MATCHING SALMON.
PROCESS FOLLOWED AT ONE OF
UNCLE SANS HATCHEs:IEs.
Millions of Fish Annually Added to
the Supply of Rivers and Lakes
Tho Young Fry ut Home
Transporting Eggs.

maie, tue property OIL the United States
and OF the State of Maine, all of which
are soon to have the assistance of man
in producing millions of their kind.
They swan in from the sea this spring
with thousands of others, weighing on
their arrival about twenty-five pounds
each, and had they avoided the fish
wcirs of tho fishermen, would huvc de.
posted spawn and milt along the spawn
ing beds prepared by nature, where fully
two-thirds of it would have been de-
voured by cells, suckers, clubs, pickerel
and other fish. But they were caught
alive, tendcrly transferred to submerged
cars, which were afterward towcd in
land, and now, in their narrow quarters.
are being carefully tended. They are in
what is known as Craig Brook, the only
sea salmon hatchery place in the world.
at this place, in years past, Uncle
Sam has expended many thousands of
dollars in experiments, and here, too,
millions upon millions of fish have been
artlcially brought into being and have
been distributed in the waters of Maine
and sent abroad to England, Germany
and Australia.
The fish, two-thirds of which are fe-
males, arc purchased late in June and
early in July, and until October are al
lowed the freedom of tho river for a dis
lance of quarter of q mile. The bed
of the river is of mud and not at all to
the liking of the salmon, which will
make no attempt to spawn thereon, but
at the upper end there is another and a
much smaller Enclosure, having n bottom
OF gravel. Into this comes the female
when "ripc," or ready to deliver Dor
ton of her eggs, and following her is
seen the male salmon. About this time
one of Uncle Sans dip nets is placed
under her, and she is lifted, Tapping
and fighting mad, to tho bank. Then
thousands of eggs are forced iuto broad
and shallow tin pan underneath aud the
and tho fish is again placed in the water.
The male fish is similarly treated.
Enough eggs only are taken to cover
the bottom of the pan. They are of
| gelatine-like substance, soft and fiabbv.
In each there is a minute opening, and
the milt, spreading over them as oil
spreads over water, enters each aperture.
Soon the eggs take on yellow hue, as
sumo the firm shape OF the pea, and grow
| brittle.
The salmon egg at first is not unlike
| glass and will not bear transportation.
Frames about eighteen inches square, in
which are stretched fine wire screens. are
brought out, and on these the eggs are
placed. These frames are termed travs.
and are not unlike household wire screens.
Perhaps they are piled one dozen high.
taken into the Matching house, and sub
merged into water. This Matching house
IS at the foot of dam, and water flowing
down into it fills large wooden troughs
to depth of several feet Thus the eggs
are In gcntlymoving water, the tempera
turc of which grows lower as tho winter
approaches. The process continues until
all the eggs have been taken from the fe-
male and all the milt from the males,
when they are allowed to return to the
sea. When bought, every fish is weighed
and given ledger account, and before
he or she is allowed to depart, credit
is given and the account closed.
About the first of the new year there
appears upon such eggs what is known
as eye spots. At this stage the eggs look
like black-cyed peas and can .h5,; frozen.
shaken, or transported with safety. In
AlqRcn or April, according to the warmth
of the spring, the submerged egg begins
to assume the shape of the pollywog-
all head and tail-and about half an inch
in length. This change is brought
about by the temperature of the spring
water alone. The fish seems to be born
of part of the egg, the remainder seems
to anchor him, and on this he feeds for q
while, the anchor growing less each day
and the fish larger. It is wonderful
provision of nature that with the egg is
given forth food for the period the young
salmon is helpless.
In May or early juno the attachment
has been eaten, and the pollywog-like
fellow looks something like a fish. Now
comes the time for distribution. LARGE
cans of the capacity of n flour barrel arc
brought forth, and into these the small
fry are dipped with good supply of
water, and taken where desired. Maine
takes from $50, 900 to 500, 900 each wear.
In times past these have been let 90 in
the Pcnobscot and st. Croix Rivers, and
rs q result tons of twenty and thirty
pound salmon are taken each season, be-
ing large source of revenue to coast
fishermen, and commanding in the carly
season 81 per pound or more, in Boston
and New York markets, though later the
price at home rules Us low rs fifteen cents
per pound per fish.
One popularity of the fish is notice.
able. Let 100000 small salmon be
placed in the Penobscot River, like
number in the st. Croix, and in the
River st. John, in New Brunswick, and
in time, when they are grown to a spawn
ing age, each fish that returns will seek
his native river. Then, too, the flesh CT
the fish differs with the rivers, and no
one familiar with the Penobsct salmon
can be deceived with fish from the
provinces.
Salmon spawn only once in two years;
eat nothing at oil during that season, and
therefore no food is found in them. They
are laid upon the block when for sale,
whole, and are sliced like beef from q
1rpScoI ouorkar C,,ol ~