The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1901-03-29
Scientific Work With She1lfish.

| PSAiOhoo III tIc growing OF various
kinds of shellfish in the waters of Puget
Sound. A bill having this work as it's
purpose and carrying an appropriation
OF $4,000 was passed at the last session
OF the legislature and on April Prof
Doane will begin his labors.
The work will be carried on at Kew
port on Dogfish bay near Port Orchard
naval station where Commissioner
Little for the past two years has been
engaged in making experiments in
this direction. During the summer
vacation months he has been assisted
by Professor Doane and while good re-
suits have been obtained, such as
demonstrating that Eastern oysters
can be grown here, the difficulty has
been to make them reproduce. With
this bivalve Professor Doane's scien-
tific researches will be along this line.
1t is the intention to- experiment with
other kinds of shellfish and demon
strate that they can be produced in the
waters of Puget Sound just as well as
in the waters of Puget Sound just as
well as in their native waters. Among
the classes with which experiments
will be made are Columbia river craw-
| fish, oysters from the Atlantic coast.
oysters from the japanese coast and
the better propagation of salmon at the
state hatcheries.
The Fish commissioner said: "Last
year we planted carload of Eastern
oysters at Keyport and met with good
| success. We are able to demonstrate
that this bivalve can be grown in the
waters of Puget Sound just as well as
on the Atlantic coast. The only trouble
we have met with is that they do not
reproduce. This is one of the things
that Professor Doane will study and
there is little doubt but that he will be
able to solve the question in a satisfact-
ory manner.
"We have ordered carload of East
ern oysters from the Atlantic coast and
they will arrive about the middle of
next month. The shipment will con-
sist of six or seven different varieties
taken from various localities on the
Eastern coast and our experiments will
be to ascertain which of them will
prove to be better for Puget Sound.
Our work last year with the Eastern
oyster was satisfactory in every respect
with the exception of reproduction.
With the improvements we intend to
erect on Dogish bay, at Keyport, we
will have ample facilities to Conduct
our work and expect to meet with
good results.
.'But the work with the Eastern oys-
ter is only one of the things that will
be done. The bill passed by the legis-
lature provides for the carrying on OF
our experiments with the propagation
of salmon. 1t is the intention to build
new hatchery at Keyport, the objects
being to find methods of Matching eggs
with the least possible loss. To the
present time there has been but little
work done along this line. One of ou1
first experiments will be to feed the
young fish for while in the pens in
stead of turning them loose in the
streams to rustic for themselves as is
done at the present time. Professor
Doana will also visit the various
salmon streams of the state and make
scientific test of the waters to ascer-
tain which are the better for propaga.
ton.
stIn the main the work with the
Columbia river crawfish, the japanese
oysters and other species, will be con-
! tinued along the same lines, all the de-
tails of which, however, have not yet
been worked out. It is our intention
to conduct our experiments through
out the winter months as well in the
summer and in this way we will be
able to watch the effect of the various
seasons. There will be no interruption
in the work for the next two years, by
| which time we expect to have attained
the object in which we are in pursuit.
From our experiments in the past we
know that these varieties of fish can be
grown here and all that is required is
to ascertain to most scientific methods. =
Tacoma Ledger.