Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-22
FISH CULTTVATORS' MEETING
Twenty-seventh Annual Session of the
National Fisheries Society.
DUES REDUCED AND OFFICERS CHOSEN
Considerable Business of Interest TO
the Members Transacted During
the Morning-somc of the
Papers Rend

When the professional and scientific fish
ermen assembled at the Willard hotel yes
terday, they spent some time talking of
the beauties OF the exposition, which they
visited last night, and there was nothing
but praise from all of them for the Won
dors of the show. To such an extent Is this
true that the society is apt to shorten its
session during the day, and give more time
to looking over the exposition grounds.
When the regular work was taken up the
question of reducing the annual dues was
again considered, and when the vote was
taken, the society decided to cut them
down from SO to 81.
The election of officers followed, with this
result: President, George F.. Peabody of
Wisconsin,; vice president, William Fl. low
man Of New York; treasurer. L. d. Hunting
ton Of New York; recording secretary,
Herschel Whitaker of Michigan; correspond
ing secretary, J. E. Gunckel of Ohio; execu-
tive committees: ]. s. Dale of Pennsylvania,
e. e. Bryant of Wisconsin, J. j. Shanahan
Of Ohio, F. N. Clark Of Michigan, ]. W.
Titcomb Of Vermont, w. l.. May OF Me-
braska and DR.. ]. A. Henshall of Montana.
Having disposed of these important items
of business the society devoted the greater
portion of the day to reading and discuss
ing papers on various phases of the fish
question, all Of which were on a scientific
and technical basis.
Value OF Microscope.
]. J. Stranahan of Put-in-Bay read a
! paper on 1.-THE Microscope as Practically
| Applied to Fish Culture in which he ex-
planned how. through the use Of the micro
scope, the fish c~ulturist could tell at once
whether eggs were impregnated and thereby
save himself a large amount of time and
some expense in trying to hatch unim-
pregnated eggs. He held that a spawn
might have a most promising appearance
and yet be without any value whatever
and this the microscope would disclose at
the first examination. Through the use Of
the microscope the fish c%ulturist can also
determine whether the spawn taker is doing
good work. The speaker said that the old
est and most experienced spawn takers are
the cause Of the most trouble in that they
get into ruts and take eggs which are not
impregnated.
Mr.. Stranahan illustrated many of the
points of his paper by means of photographs
Of the microscopic reproductions OF the
eggs, showing them in various stages of
development, their appearance when i'm
pregnated and otherwise. He showed that
the power and effectiveness of the micro
sCOpe were 81 great tndt ueIeCLlNe eggs can
be detected as rapidly as they can be placed
under the glass and removed.
Work of the Society.
J. E. Gunokel of Toledo discussed 1.-The
Fish Culturist," the central idea OF his
paper being to show the work accomplished
by the fisheries society from its organiza-
ton on December 20, 1870, down to the
present time. He gave all credit TO the
Hsh ou1t1risf FIR tho pracoryotiop ond In
crease in fish, through their scientific re-
searches and advocacy of state laws. He
explained how they Had taken trout and
other high class fish from eastern waters
and transferred them to western lakes and
streams, and by artificial propagation had
increased their number.
He described the fish as the poor mans
food, in that it can be had for the taking,
and costs no man labor. This being true it
merits the study and investigation being
given 1t under the aid of state and ma
tional government.
He then touched upon the fish exhibit
at the exposition and said the display was
a revelation to him and fully demonstrated
the usefulness and value of the work being
done every year by the fish commissioners
In closing his paper Mr.. Gunckel alluded
to the exposition to be held at Toledo in
1903, IN honor of the centennial of Ohio's
statehood, and said some good words for
the enterprise, inviting the society to pre-
pare for a fish exhibit at that time which
VIII eclipse anything previously attempted.
New Ideas on Bass.
w. ]. O'Brien, superintendent of state
hatcheries at South Bend, presented a paper
on THE Propagation of Black Bass in
which he advanced some theories which were
entirely new to most If not all of the dele
gates. To prevent bass from eating each
other has been a problem before the fish
culturist for these long years and Mr..
O'Brien presented what he believes to be the
solution.
The theory outlined in his paper is that the
bass should be kept in cold water until about
spawning time when they shall be turned
into warm water. This change, he argues,
Will hasten the spawning period and result
IN the eggs being Matched at about the same
time and the young fish will grow to matu
rity together. Under existing conditions
there is no effort to secure uniformity in
spawning and the last fish to be Matched arc
eaten up by those Immediately their seniors
until the product has been virtually de-
, stroyed. Mr.. O'Brien said that this theory
had been put in practice during the last
, year at the hatcheries in Nebraska and while
too early now to give definite results he feels
confident they will prove satisfactory.
This paper attracted considerable attention
from the delegates and the discussion which
followed it was evidence that it had turned
the thoughts Of the fish culturists into new
channels.
The session of the society in the Afternoon
was cut short, as the members desired t.
visit the exposition again. and the final ses.
sion will be held this morning. A few OF thu
, delegates went away last night, but IN,
) others will remain through the day, as thi.
has been set aside as F%isherman's day at tn,
exposition.
support for Soldiers Families.
WASHINGTON, July 21.-Major Johi
! Byrne of New York, president of the Sol
diers' and Sailors Families Protective as
ISOLATION, is in Washington in the interes
Z of a revival Of the law of 1854 updar uybIoI