Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-27

together. by long continued rubbing
and picking over in the hands. They
are then measured and poured into
glass jare. Each Jar receives three
quarts OF eggs, estimated at 651 900. |
There are now 270 of these jars, total
ing in all about 174 900 eggs.
These jars into which the eggs are
deposited are called the Mcdonald
Matching Jars. These are taken to the
Matching tables and there arranged to
begin the work of Matching. Into the
jar Is inserted a hose from a faucet
| and an overflow hose to battery or
fry jar near at hand. Thus is a perfect
flow Of salt water kept running
through the jars Of eggs and the fry
jars. The eggs remain in the Matching
jar, but are not allowed to deposit at
the bottom Over the top of the fry
| jar is placed a perforated brass cover
| which prevents the fry escaping with
the overlooking water and makes it
! possible to easily clean off the other
matter that gathers. The eggs have
| to be removed occasionally at first and
| both jars have to be cleaned to pre-
| vent the mussel eggs, kelp and fungus
growth from stopping up the perfect
supply Of water Great care in this
| work, as III all the other work of the
! hatchery process, has to be used.
The eggs will begin to hatch from
the middle to the goth Of May and all
those taken from fish impounded the
previous summer will hatch by the end
Of June. There is another source for
getting the eggs-from the freshly
| A~h 81 <h4 11L
these are coming in now. These eggs
are not so far advanced and hatch
mostly during July. The water tenn
perature at the hatchery during the
process averages about Al degrees in
May; 81 in June and 81 in July.
After Matching the fry is kept for
| day or two at the hatchery, growing
and strengthening. Then they are
taken in the boats - be liberated in
waters from Kite. 70 PASSPORT. the
distribution beina ;.rportioned accord
ing to the number of Holsters received
from the different locations. Natural
| well-protected places are selected for
| the little ones. The transportation Of
these little fish Is quite a problem, but
is solved by special apparatus on the
Cannot, Sheldrake and gasoline boat
No. %. The fry are siphoned over
board while the boat backs up, SO that
the gear will not strike the fish.
| The gathering Of the lobstesr is done
| during the previous summer and fall.
One man IS stationed on the docks at
| Portland and buys the Holsters from
| the dealers or smackmen coming to
market. The Cannot covers the coast
| from Kittery to. Rockland, buying
| from fishermen or smackmen. The
Sneldrake goes eastward from Rock
| land to PASSPORT. The gasoline boat
collects from nearby points. The fe-
male lobster, known by its wider far
ing tail, is sought. The Holsters are
| placed in the great pound at Pema-
quid, where it was found conditions
| were best suited for their retention
during the winter. This pound is sew
| eral acres in area and has a keeper
| constantly on hand to see that the
| flow Of water keeps up a proper sup
| ply and that the fish are fed-not over
fed or underfed, for either brings ema-
citation. The claws of all Holsters are
| plugged with wood when impounded
to prevent them destroying one an
other. In the pound they are in favor
able conditions to lay their eggs. OF
the fish placed here IS per cent are
kept alive, stripped of eggs and lib
Grated into the sea, away from the
! traps Of fishermen, that they may
again produce eggs.
AL, the work Of transporting, caring
for. stripping and Matching, calls for
special equipment. Our hatchery, the
largest in the world, has not only spe-
cial equipment for Matching Holsters,
but also for cod. paddock and flat
fish or founders, all of which are
Matched at the proper seasons. There
| is the splendid hatchery building ASK
20, the boiler house and pump room of
stone, the wharf building and cottage,
the stables and other buildings. The
pump room is situated near the water
and has a tank over it holding 1900
gallons of salt water Two boilers, one
Of 50-hOrse and one Of 35-horse power,
and two pumps do the pumping. From
the water-tower runs the main pipe,
giving the constant supply of salt wa
ter to nearly 500 faucets. There is
gas house supplying lighting gas to
the plant. There are number of small
boats, two wharves, two large lobster
cars and two boat floats. A big cistern
and two wells supply fresh water when
the town water is turned off for the
winter.
The hatchery was established in 1903,
and the main building and pump house
was erected in 1904. The cottages were
bought with the land, except the Bar
tholomew cottage. Other buildings and
many improvements have been made
since. The cost Of the plant, with the
boats, would total over $4,000. The
cost Of operating Is very large. In
salaries and payroll and in buying
the fish. the government pays many
thousands Of dollars a year, the most
Of which is expended right here at
home, for the fish culturists all reside
here and nearly all the other help is
local. Many local fishermen sell part
Of their catch to the hatchery.
There are seventeen permanent en-
| ployees, as follows: Capt. E. e. Hahn,
superintendent; James B. Rogers, fish
culturist: Frank E. Hare. fish cultur-
|