The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-20
SHAD THE SUBJECT
To Be CONSIDERED
There Are Sermons in Stones:
Books in Brooks; Facts,
Pigments and Fiction in
Fish

Col. T.. j.. Pcarsall of Rocky Point
tells OF the origin, propagation n
s%ucculence Of the shad in the follow
in article:
And God said let the waters bring
forth a~bundantly the moving crea-
ture that hath life"
The season for this, tho aristocrat
Of all fish that floats, Will soon be
here. 1t is the largest, best known
and most ~alua member OF the her
ring family in the United States. The
head averages oue-third Of the body
length. Teeth are found in the head
Of the young, but not in the jaws OF
the adult The gill rakeIs' are
long, slender and numerous. The
fins are small and weak. the dorsal
containing 10 rays and the anna q.
The hickory Shad. somewhat differ
emily shaped. is related to the Ale
wives and is a f%orerunner Of the true
shad or Alosa Sapidissina.
The roe or female shad sometimes
weighs five pounds more than the
buck. However. those who know
prefer the flesh Of the latter, is OF
tirmer texture.
IN the early history OF the Shad, IA
TO 10 pounds were the largest, 1t Is
now a rare thing TO see one OF 10
pounds.
The natural habitat Of this genus
OF ilsh Is the entire eastern coast Of
The United States. 1t is now abundant
on he Pacific Coast, having been
tTansp!anted across the continent by
the United States Fish Commission,
IS taken as FAR north as Alaska ard is
much more plentiful than with US.
simon Peter went up and drew the
net to land full OF great fishes. an
hundred and fifty and three, yet was
not the net broken
Shsd i'm the Rivers.
n annual migration of snad from
the ocean 10 the rivers is for the sole
purpose of reproduction and occupies
several weeks in depositing and fer
hlizlng its eggs. The earliest catch
in the Cape Fear near Wilmington. is
January 70 or Whereabouts. In the
Northeast river near here, we try tC
get the first about the 14th of Febru-
AIRY. In point of fecundity the ehad is
less prolific thar other food fish, the
average number Of eggs being 10000
while single fish nave been known tc
yield 5000, 10000, 10000 and one
yielded as high as 10000 is reported
Many eggs fail to become fortified
and a comparatively small per cent
are hatchCd-then subject to the at
Jacks OF cells, perch, carp, cat, sucker
and numerous other d~epredators.
In q state OF nature spawning time
they run along together from til
channel to the shore, the eggs an;
milf being elected simultaneously. ant
on quiet evenings the spawning sha.
may be heard surging and %plungin,
along the ShoreS-thiS is coInmOnl
known as washing"
Food.
After entering the rivers the sha,
takes but little, If any. food unit
after spawning time, then it has beel
known to take the artificial fly, tn,
only substance ever seen in the stom
ach has the appearance of black mud
After a series of observations 70
many Years It has been found tina
n principal hours Of spawning ar
from , to 10 p. m, consequently tn
best hauls with the seine are the sun
set and at midnight. when tn
rooster owls boot. To what exten
the pollution OF the waters Of th
river from the various causes, ha
educe the catch of shad is UT
known, but acids, sawdust, garbo
refuse from dye works do undoub,
edly tend to make the waters ur
suitable and the fish MOI scare,
anyway. we know the fish taken fror
the pure, clean waters Of Northea.
cape Fear are far superior to thos
from the muddy Neuse and othe
u lilSSe li1DCOlnlOnfS At
encountered.
The OK knoweth his owner and II
ass his masters crib
Applies equally to the f. that q
cape n go down to the sea, Az,
wandering two years navigating
large part OF the Atlantic. North S,
or German ocean,, by Norway, Sv
den. Iceland and return by Ne
Foundland, back up the Cape Fe;
river. HOmecomers to the old cav
ground, to their old alma mater.
the VARSITY. Trinity. Wake Fore
and Davidson old boys love to co
gregate where the boys and shad (
U~atHculate.
The people OF the Third Nor
Carolina Congressional district a
nnder many and lasting obligatio
to Hon. Joh NJ. Faison for havi
the United States Fish Commission
Nberate millions OF fry in the waite
Of the Northeast, Black. Six Rul
Goshen and other available plac