102 



lined the whole course of the stream, a ditch was dug to 

 John's Pond. 



It is not known exactly when alewives first began to run 

 up the stream. Probably the fish which entered John's Pond 

 via Childs River returned to the ocean by the new route. 

 Owing to the fact that the stream is entirely in the hands of 

 the cranberry bog owners, and the fishery is artificial, further 

 development is impossible. 



EAST FALMOUTH, HERRING RIVER. 



In an attempt to establish a herring fishery a ditch was 

 dug from Bourne's Pond to Ashumet Pond in 1863 by a cor- 

 poration known as the East Falmouth Herring River Company, 

 but the venture proved unsuccessful, as Ashumet Pond was not 

 of a sufficiently high level to insure a flow of water. 



CHILDS RIVER. 



Childs River passes from John's Pond to Waquoit Bay. 

 The stream, 3 to 4 miles long, is now used to flood cranberry 

 bogs, and is obstructed by a number of dams. The outlet of 

 John's Pond is a boarded passageway controlled by flashboards. 

 Below the pond the stream is little more than an artificial 

 ditch lined with cranberry bogs. At the head of the Gona 

 cranberry bog is an impassable fishway. Below this point 

 there are nine cranberry bogs, and eight embankments, all 

 but one of which are equipped with wooden flumes. A second 

 fishway is situated at the last cranberry bog. Near Waquoit 

 Village is the fish house and a third fishway. The alewife 

 fishery in Childs River was started as a private enterprise by 

 the Waquoit Herring River Company, and reached the maxi- 

 mum production of 180 barrels in 1872. The average catch 

 is from 80 to 100 barrels. A larger fishery could have been 

 maintained if it had not been for the cranberry bogs. Its 

 future depends upon the maintenance of a suitable passage by 

 the owners .of the bogs from the salt water to John's Pond. 



