OUR FISHES AND THEIR ENEMIES—AMBROSE. 399 
The so-called “sardine” factories in Maine make it their busi- 
ness to cut off the reproductive power of herring by purchasing 
none but immature fish. Most of the full-grown herring enclosed 
with them are first salted and next pressed for the extraction of 
their oil, the “ pomace,” or residue being sold for manure. 
Kel weirs across our streams do much injury by preventing the 
egress of young gaspereaux and other small fish to the sea, and 
thus largely discounting the benefits which would here, as in 
western Canada, result from fish-culture in our lakes. 
A word in parting with the subject of sawdust, shavings and 
other mill-refuse in our streams. Mill-owners are probably no 
worse, in a general way, than other people, but when direct pecu- 
niary interest is the temptation it is but natural, though selfish, 
that reason becomes perverted. The conviction of all interested, 
in the fisheries, produced by actual observation and experience 
is that if our inland lakes and coves are to be thus filled up our 
fisheries will be ruined, not only by the prevention of spawning, 
but the expulsion of line-fish from our shores. It is of no use to 
insist on efficient fish-ways over mill dams, so long as the mill 
refuse prevents the accomplishment of the purpose which impels 
the struggle up the fish-ways. 
Want of space forbids mention of other modes of destruction, 
waste or expulsion of our fish from our shores, formerly a favorite 
haunt for the finny tribes. We pass on, then, to a few remarks 
on the means at present in operation for similar destruction of 
our crustacean. 
Oysters.—In the first place, to show the capabilities of our 
oyster-beds in the harbours bordering on the Gulf of St. Law- 
rence, it is well-known that comparatively a few years ago the 
abundance of oysters in those beds was so great as to effect their 
destruction. The beds so rapidly increased in height and diame- 
ter that the oysters in the midst of the mass were smothered by 
those above and around them, and when the accumulations ap- 
proached the ice-level, those on the top were destroyed by the 
cold. The harbour of Shediac affords an illustration of this,— 
once famous for the abundance of its oysters, but now raked only 
for its dead shells, with their surrounding mud, to be used for 
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