Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-02
FEDERAL AID FOR FISHERMEN
ny FREDERIC j. HAsKIN


WASHINGTON. May s1.-The United
States Bureau of Fisheries Is now
having constructed large all-steel
car. which is to be the most perfect
vehicle for the rapid distribution Of
lFe hsh that II IL possible to build.
For years the bureau has been shin
ping fry and fngerlings all over the
United States by means of half-a-dozen
old wooden cars. This new steel vehi-
cle which is sixty feet long and will
carry some seventeen tons. Will he
great addition to its facilities for
distribution.
This increased carrying capacity will
almost certainly be taxed by a new
Undertaking OF the fish commiss toner's
by means OF the bulletins which the
bureau publishes. and every other
avenue Of publicity open to them. they
have been urging American farmers
and small town and country jewellers
generally, TO take up the cultivation
Of fish on their own premises. To any
individual who is able 70 show that he
! has pond suitable for the propaga-
ton OF fish. the government will fur
niSh fry or hnEcrlings OF the proper
species
The arguments in favor OF private
fish culture arc unanswerablc. In the
first place. it is not an expensive un-
dertaking. On nearly every country
place there is a hit of land which ia
not -iscd for anything else. and TO
which water may be brought from
some spring or stream. The cxcava-
tion dam building In many cases
will not cost more than s25 or $40
The pond may often be used for irri-
cation or for watering stock as we'll
as for fish
Even a small pond. with an area of
no more than - quarter acre will pro-
duce more fish than one family can
possibly use In this way An inland
farm. where fish is now rare deli
cacy. may be abundantly supplied with
II. The rapid rise in tho price OF meats
makes this an especially valuable adj.
dition 10 the food supply OF any house
hold
Hnising Fish Is Ancient Industry.
The raising of fish on farms is an
| ancient industry which has not been
neglected in any OF the older coun-
tries. In Germany and Austria, many
OF the small landowners raise fish, and
many Austrian villages have munich
pal fish ponds. In the Philippines the
long time. especially on the low lands
about Manila Bay. where there are
adequatic> properties valued at $1,000
600.
Some OF the State fish commissioners
have been trying TO encourage private
fish culture for many years, and there
are successful fish farmers scattered
all over the United States.
A typical small producer is Mr..
Samuel Bailey. OF Kansas. who has n
fish pond on top Of a hill. where he
supplies 1t with water by means OF a
windmill. II has an area OF only n
quarter OF an acre. and cost only about
s25 to dig, but IT is abundantly stocked
with bull pout Ga small cat fsh) and
crappie. and will soon he yielding an
abundant harvest of fish in addition to
irriEating the family garden.
y large enterprise is now being I'M
dertaken in Columbia County. New
York, by man who owns a piece OF
land upon which is lake about two
miles wide. This owner has gone in
for commercial fish production on
large scale. He has placed the prop
erty in the hands Of an expert. and
structed along the late shore for the
propagation OF bass and perch to be
sold in the market.
An idea of how rapidly fish will re-
produce may be gained from the ex-
perience OF Carl III. Thompson, of War
feet long by sixty feet wide and four
to six feet deep, in WHICH he released
four pair Of smallmouth black bass.
Fifteen months later he took out LOTT
weight. while in addition there were
number of yellow perch that had
slipped In accidentally.
Particulars Required by Conn, isxIoncr.
IT you Wish 10 OBTAIN from the gov
eminent, fish with which to stock
! private pond, you will be required by
the fish commissioner to give an eX-
act description OF the body Of water
which you propose to stock. including
it's depth. size summer temperature,
segetation, and various other matters.
The kind of fish which you can raise
depends entirely upon these conditions.
Generally speaking, the more desirable
species requires clearer and colder
water, and many inland jewellers are
unable to raise any of the game fish,
such rs bass or perch. because OF the
high summer tempera tures, and lack
Of a cold water supply. Fish Of
lower type, however, will survive and
grow under almost any conditions.
Thus carp can be raised in all parts
of the country. The fish commissioners
have recently been making a study OF
the buffalo fish. a denizen OF the
muddy Western rivers belonging to
the sucker family.
Although not game fish. and not as
deNcately favored as bass and perch,
the buffalo will thrive almost any
where, and he Is very likely to become
the most popular farm fish" OF
America.
Few persons realize how much tho
fish supply Of most Of our inland
waters depends upon artificial propa.
CATION. The shad that run up our
Atlantic Rivers and supply many Of