The Washington herald., 1913-08-03

Seemb peut upon re0uclnS Tue niBh Sos@
Of living. for he Is blandiy scooping up
Holsters from OF the rock-bound Ooast
of New England to give them to the
waters Of the Pacific. and in exchange is
just as placidly hauling the famous peer
less salmon from the mountain streams
Of the Far West to turn them loose IN
the rivers and streams which empty into
the Atlantic Ocean.
The upper Pacific coast always has
been noted for its splendid salmon, and
the westbound traveller looks forward to
the delights In store for him in the shape
of tempting salmon steaks. with their
native delicacy, as one Of the features
Of his trip.
So also the tourist who turns his face
toward the rising sun promises himself
feasts upon the delicious lobster whose
fame has been SO tantalizingly boosted
of by his Eastern friends. The lobster
In strictly q Yankee product. though
found from Labrador to Delaware or
throughout q stretch Of about 100 miles
OF coast line. Neither the salmon nor
the lobster reaches the opposite coast
territory except in cane. or salted.
smoked and dried.
Exchanse VIII BE Made.
Soon this condition will be past history.
for the two oceans are slated to ex-
change their favorite children. each pre-
,enting to the other its choicest dell
cacy which. under Uncle Sans benign
care through his bureau Of fishery masi.
clans, will soon populate the waters OF
their new territories.
Under the new scheme OF things iaid
out by the recently appointed Commits
s;oner Of Fisheries. DR.. Hugh M Smith.
these epicurean delights will be propa-
rated in vast numbers and planted SO
beautifully that they will establish them
selves in hourishng colonies-or even the
most saneuine of the fishery experts will
be convinced Of the uselessness OF the
experiments.
Concerning his plan for dipping one
hand into the Atlantic and the other
into the Pacific for the transfer OF FOOD
fish and the work of his department in
general. Mr.. Smith said:
1.-The present activities OF the Bureau
Of Fisheries in relation to the commercial
fisheries and the increase of the food fish
supply are the result of a slow evolu-
ton from q very modest beginning under
Commissioner Baird. in ISL. No radical
departure from or addition to those &C
tivities Is demanded by existing condi-
tons or is possible under the law; but
there are being opened up to US new
fields for exploitation and new opportuni-
ties for increased usefulness under the
authority already conferred by Congress.
Fish Food Increased.
The bureau will continue its efforts
to maintain and increase the supply OF
food fishes in suitable waters all over
the country, and will endeavor so &c
augment and adapt those efforts that
each year a large number of persons
and communities will be able to realize
for the first time the practical benefits
of this work.
"a great truth that needs to be fore d
home to our people is that water farm
ing pays. and that the proper utilization
OF small bodies of water for cultural pur-
poses is one of the most useful ana
profit a Bile fields for amateurs and profes-
SIGNALS. On nearly every farm in tho
country some kind OF water culture can
be instituted for either domestic or COM
mercial purposes. The bureau stands
ready to give advice and to furnish brood
stocks gratis of fish for all who MAY
wish to take up this most interesting
work
Two important experiments in accli-
ratization. which have ALREADY been az
| tempted from time to time, should re-
ceive renewed consideration and be
pushed so vigorously that success will
be assured or the impossibility of the
scheme demonstrated.
"One of these projects Is the establish
, ment of the Eastern lobster on the
Pacific Coast. For upward of q quarter
Of a century this had been the hope
and dream of many. Several Thousand
adult Holsters have been scattered along
the West Coast. between Monterey Bay
and Puget Sound. but no known sue
haS A. - Is
remains to give this experiment a fu-
Their test.
EstablishinE Lobster Centers.
"a locality will be selected which is
known to possess the physical and other
characteristics favorable to Holsters, and
into that place will be poured a stream
Of Old and young Holsters, with the view
of first establishing the specials in one
region and then extending its range to
such other localities as appear favorable
for their propagation.
Salmon eggs are incubated in wire
| baskets or trays, rather than jars, and
may be shipped an indefinite distance
without loss or deterioration. The system
Of packing the eggs is practically the
| same as is employed in the shipping of
all fish eggs. and has proved SO success
full that shipments Of eggs have been sent
to New Zealand and have arrived in
sood condition.
The eggs and small fish travel in regu-
lar Pullman cars, which are fitted up
| with twenty or more large water tanks
along the sides, in which to carry the
| fish. There are compartments holding
| more than a thousand gallons Of reserve
| water. boiler room, and plant for
pumping both water and air into the
| fish tanks. There are also an Office,
| kitchen. pantries, refrigerator, and six
Pullman sleeping berths. with other IA
cilities for the convenience and comfort
of the crew of five men. including the
| cook. who lives on the car throughout
the year.
The government furnishes the cocks
| fuel, and utensils, but the men provide
their own food. There are now five OF
these cars, all of standard size. and are
/ attached to regular express and local
passenger trains. For small shipments OF
| fish and for supplying places on the
main railway lines. messengers detached
| from the cars carry FISH in ten-gallor
cans in the baggage cars.
In this experiment. which may mean
the naturalization of a valuable food
animal and the building up of an indus
| try worth several millions of dollars an
nually, II will be necessary to have the
| support of the different States for the
protection Of the transplanted Holsters
| and their progeny for some years.
sslmon to Atlantic.
THE other experiment referred to !.
Atlantic coast The streams Of the East
| ern seaboard. in which salmon formerly
I aboundeAFzre now in such a condition
| that the re-esta biishment of the salmon