232 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and he proceeded to dispose of them as he would do with trout. 

 The latter, as soon as they can swim, seek the shore to hide under 

 grass, weeds and stones, but when the shad were set free in the 

 shallow water all the shiners, dace, minnows, killeys, and other 

 small fish in the entire neighborhood collected as though they 

 were invited to a feast, and proceeded to devour them in a way 

 that must have been exceedingly painful to a parent's eye. 

 Here was a second perplexity, and there was nothing for it but to 

 wait for an explanation, or an inspiration. So a pond was built on 

 the side of the river, and the youthful adventurers left there till 

 some one should find out what to do with them. Next morning 

 they had apparently all disappeared, and were finally found hud- 

 dled together at the outer edge of the pool. Here was a sugges- 

 tion, and to test its significance another pond was' made, narrow, 

 but running far out into the stream, and into this the fry were 

 transferred. Next morning they were again discovered collected 

 at its outward extremity, and evidently trying to reach the center 

 of the river, and that problem was solved. 



Now, the moment the shad are hatched, the boxes are towed out 

 into mid-stream, and there, away from the small but dangerous 

 foes along the shore, and too minute to attract the bigger deni- 

 ens of the deep water, the little fish are turned loose to find their 

 own way to the ocean, which they do by gradually floating down 

 stream, keeping their heads to the current to catch such food, invis- 

 ible to man, as may come along, and feebly wagging their tails to 

 acquire strength and activity. In two years the males return 

 weighing something under a pound, and in three years they 

 reappear, males and females, the magnificent fish, from two to five 

 pounds, that are so welcome to our table. 



The difference between the natural and artificial method is too 

 great almost to appreciate. Take the case of shad depositing by 

 the natural method sixty thousand eggs. Of these, at the utmost, 

 one hundred and twenty hatch, and this is probably the outside 

 limit. Of this number say one-quarter mature, the proportion in 

 this stage being a mere matter of conjecture, and we have a final 

 return of thirty for two or fifteen for one. 



Now, by the artificial method the entire sixty thousand are 

 hatched and started in life away from their enemies. Of these, if 

 a quarter reappear, we have fifteen thousand in lieu of thirty. 

 Keep this up at a geometrical ratio and the results are simply 

 incalculable. Elvers that are now deserted could be filled to 



