638 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



numbers of the citizens of Virginia, Maryland, and other States. Many salt-water varieties of 

 fish occur in the bay in countless myriads at their peculiar seasons, and furnish profitable and 

 extensive fisheries. The most important species are the Spanish mackerel, two species of cyn- 

 oscion, and the tailor or bluefish. In smaller quantities, also, are taken the sheepshead, drum, 

 and porgy, and many other species of minor importance. Vast schools of menhaden frequent the 

 bay from May to November, and, though not edible, are eagerly pursued and captured for con- 

 version into oil and guano. Extensive manufactories for these purposes are in operation all along 

 the bay, being more particularly abundant, however, on its western shore from the Rappahan- 

 nock to the mouth of the Potomac. Northumberland County, Virginia, is the center of this 

 industry. In the fisheries of the Chesapeake Bay are included those of Maryland and Virginia, 

 and therefore the statistics of the commercial fisheries of those States, given in Census Bulletin 

 No. 298, should be added together in order to show the aggregate production and value of the 

 fisheries prosecuted in this important water area. 



By this collation of figures we arrive at the following facts : Fishermen, 31,924 ; shoresmen, 

 1,884; factory hands, 11,064. This gives a grand total of 44,872 for persons employed in the 

 Chesapeake fisheries. 



The value of the apparatus, plus the capital otherwise invested, is $8,256,562. 



The product amounts in pounds to 254,587,179, the value of which is estimated at $8,346,159. 



2. THE JAMES RIVER. 



PEESENT CONDITION OP THE FISHERIES. The most southerly tributary of the Chesapeake 

 is the James River, which rises in the heart of the Alleghanies and flows in a generally southeast 

 direction, traversing more than 200 miles, through the mountains and the Piedmont section of 

 Virginia, before reaching tide- water at Richmond, Va. 



Prior to the establishment of obstructions in this river, caused by the construction of the 

 James River and Kanawha Canal, large numbers of shad ascended the river as high as Clifton 

 Forge and were taken in considerable quantities in fall-traps or " slides," in Jackson's and Cow- 

 pasture Rivers. 



In the valley of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge seine fisheries were operated with profit, and 

 the number of shad taken annually between Lynchburg and Richmond was at one time far in 

 excess of the now entire catch for the whole river. The shad at the present time do not ascend 

 higher than Bosher's Dam, about 9 miles above Richmond. 



In the tide- water section of this river are received its two main tributaries, the Appomatox 

 and the Chickahominy, which latter was, up to the time of the war, famous for its fine shad. The 

 migrations of the fish into this river have not been limited to any appreciable extent by artificial 

 obstructions. The erection of dams on the Appomatox at Petersburg has prevented the further 

 ascent offish, and consequently no organized fisheries are now prosecuted on that river. 



During and long after colonial times large seine fisheries were operated all along the lower 

 James. These have ceased to exist, only one small haul-seine that at Harrison's Landing 

 being now in operation, gill-nets having almost entirely taken their place. A few pounds have 

 been occasionally worked near the month of the river, but, being in defiance of law and unpro- 

 ductive in their results, have been discontinued. 



