Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-06-29

Alamoosook lake, to which Craig brook is
tributary. The mouth of Craig brook
Is thus by water nearly nine miles from
the mouth of Eastern river, something
more than half the route being through
the brackish water below Orland village.
CRAIG BROOK HATCHERY.
For the purpose of the first experiment
Craig brook appeared to be the most con-
venient fresh water stream which offered
facilities for combining the salmon and
maturing the eggs that might be OBJ
tanned. Its source is in Craig pond,
body of water having an area OF about 235
acres and an extreme depth Of sixty
nine feet, with clean, rocky and gravelly
shores and very transparent water 1t
runs alternately over coarse sand and
ledge for half a mile, and empties into
Alamoosook lake, falling in this short
course nearly 200 feet. A few rods above
its mouth it receives the waters Of sew
eral large springs OF very pure water,
having temperature OF forty-seven de-
grees. At this point there had formerly
been dam to supply power to single
mill. This dam was rebuilt, and pond
|
feet deep. So clear was the water that
| objects could be seen on the bottom at
the deepest point.
| The history of the experiments in fish
culture between 1870 and 1889 has been
many times told, and its lessons, success
es and failures have from time to time
been given in the general newspaper press
Of the State. In 1889 the United States
government, having determined to con-
tinue the experiments in the artificial
Matching of fish in connection with the
state governments, each to bear an equal
ratio of the expenses, purchased land at
Craig brook, where is now located the fish
breeding works. The tract OF land owned
by government embraces 1874 acres, and
| the Craig brook property was decided
upon after a careful examination OF diff
ferent localities for the purpose.
The conditions desired by government
for location for fish breeding purposes
were these: First, that it should be in
the vicinity Of the principal salmon fish
cries OF the Penobscot river; second, that
1t possessed a good pure stream wholly
within land owned, and thus of course
controlled by the government; third, that
it should possess good facilities for the
use Of the water and the construction Of
fish ponds.
The location OF the government works
at Craig brook is one Of great picturesque
ness and natural beauty. Craig brook, as
has just been stated, is the outlet Of Craig
pond, which is about 200 feet above Its
n outlet IN Lake Alamoosook.
The works are located on the shore OF
Lake Alamoosook, beautiful body OF
water enclosed by wooded hills and en-
bracing about 300 acres. The fish ponds,
troughs and buildings are we'll located
for handling the business carried on, be-
ing compact, and thus requiring but a
comparatively small amount OF travelling
to reach any point where attention is de-
manded
FISH PROPAGATION.
The amount OF detail in connection
with the works at Craig brook is some
thing marvellous in its extent and nicely.
lantic salmon in the rivers OF the United
States occurs during the months OF Octo-
Der and November. Generally at the
Craig brook works the artificial spawning
begins about Oct. -, and closes about
Now 10. Records show large num-
bers of salmon from twenty-nine to thir-
ty-one inches in length, weighing, in
Guiding eggs, from nine to twelve pounds,
and yielding from two and half to three
pounds of spawn 5000 to $500 eggs,
with now and then fish thirty-tive or
as many as Is 900 to 20 900 eggs.
From Dead brook, where the re-
tanning enclosures for salmon obtained in
; Penobscot waters, to the hatchery at
: Craig brook is about two miles. The eggs
of salmon are carried from the former 10
the latter place and spread on trays in the
J spawning house. These trays are placed
} in frames and enclosed in boxes, the trays
being piled up ten or twelve deep. Each
tray will hold about 1000 eggs, and a
trough Of ten and one half feet long will
contain from 14O, 900 to $4,000 eggs with
suitable unoccupied space at each end
Water is constantly running through
these troughs, guarded by wire screen
| and regulated by simple swing gate.
} The eggs pass the winter in the stacks
| in these troughs, being subject to con-
} slant scrutiny and examination for the
J purpose Of removing the unimpregnate
eggs, and to see that they are kept in 6
healthy condition. Eggs may be safely
transported as soon as the eyes OF the
! fish have become thoroughly colored, and
until within five or six weeks, il the
weather is cold, OF the time Of Matching
l The method OF packing eggs at Craig
3 brook is to put them in layers alternating
3 with wet moss in shallow wooden boxes
placed in cases Of a size to afford on al
sides of the inner package space OF tive
and half to three inches, which is filled
3 with some light porous material, that viii
3 form good non-conductor Of heat. TIT