The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-03-20
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What the agricultural department IS
doing for the farmers OF the country
the fish commission of the national
government, aided by the COMMISSIONS
Of the several states, is doing for the
fishermen and for all the great inter-
ests which depend upon the products
If the waters. AS the agricultural de-
oartment is Introducing new varletles
Of vegetables and is constantly teach
ing farmers how they may increase
their crops, so the fish commission IN
PRODUCES new varieties of fish, and py
careful and scientific study determines
bun what ways the great fisheries of the
United States may be protected and sex-
tended. Its work is hardly appreciated
by the public, and yet its reports are
full of information which is always In
teresting and sometimes sensational.
The last. report of the commission Is
Just at hand. Here are some items ex-
tracted from it:
Half-developed oysters and bivalves
which are in poor flesh, as stock
man would. say, are now kept in regu-
lar pens and fattened for tie market,
IS if they were pigs or other live STOCK.
More than 10000 pounds of so-called
caviar, which was sold last year in
Chicago and New York, was really Ia
ken from Mississippi river catfish In
stead of from sturgeon.
Since 1890 the number of ships In
tie American whaling fleet has de-
creased from ninety-seven to forty
There is steady falling off in the
| production of both sperm oil and
whalebone.
There are 10000 men engaged in fish
ing on the great lakes, and the total
| capital invested is $6,60O,0OO. The
| number of vessels engaged is EOS, and
of small boats $500.
In 1885 the total catch Of sailed
| mackere1 in the United States was
$50 600 barrels. In 1886 it was only 3d.
600 barrels, and it has never since
| reached a yearly total of 100000 bar
relS.
Evolution of pearl button from a
Mississippi river clam shell.
During the last year the United
| States fish commission distributed to
| various waters more than 1900 900
| fish and eggs.
The cars of the fish commission trav-
eled 105, 900 miles during the year IN
| distribution of fish and eggs.
In Florida and other suitable waters
| beds of Sponges are now set out, and
marketable sponges are grown from
small cuttings, just as vegetables are
raised in the same way.
Each year it becomes increasingly
difficult to secure lobster eggs along
| the New England coast. At the same
time the number of HOLSTERS taken each
year does not greatly decrease.
| The diseases of fishes are now being
carefully and scientifically studied b,
scientist under the direction of the
commission. Already he has foune
cures for several fish epidemics which
prevail in Matching stations. Perhaps
before long it will be possible to cal
the fish doctor when disease breaks GU
among the finny tribe anywhere.
Proof that the efforts of the com
mission in planting fish in strang
waters have been successful are plen
ty. Rainbow trout, for instance, ar
now caught in Texas, Virginia, an
many other states, where until tn
commission planted the eggs, the
were entirely unknown. In the sam
way salmon are now quite plentiful ii
the upper waters of the Delaware river
The biological survey of the gres
lakes, which has been in progress Sc,
eral years, is being pushed forward q
rapidly as possible. Half dozen SC
entists are spending much of their tim
in careful study of the various forms {
animal life in which the waters of tn
great lakes abound.
Stations for the artificial hatchin
and rearing of clans and Holsters
large numbers have been establishe
at several points along the Atlant
coast The experiments have gone s
far as to make it clear that the bus