346 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



next ensuing, or the second after the deposition of the ova which produced it in the month 

 of October or November. In the autumn of that year they will return, grilse, as they are 

 now termed, varying in weight from two to eight pounds. In the succeeding, or third year, 

 having deposited their ova in the streams wherein they were themselves hatched, they will 

 redescend to the sea, not increased in weight or size ; but will make their reappearance in 

 the same autumn, ascending to reproduce their species, full-grown fish, weighing, it is con- 

 fidently alleged, from twenty to forty pounds in weight. 



It is on this quality of the young fry of the salmon, as we understand, that the Natural 

 History Society rely for the accomplishment of the scheme. 



They calculate with certainty on procuring, at small cost, the young fry, just excluded, 

 with the yolk yet adherent from correspondents in the British provinces enclosed in hogs- 

 heads of spring water, which can readily be transmitted by marine steamers to New York, and 

 thence by rail to the localities where they should be emancipated. 



The feeding streams of the Passaic, Raritan, Delaware, and Hudson have, we are in- 

 formed, been carefully explored and investigated by several gentlemen; and waters have 

 been found, abounding in trout, communicating with these rivers, without the interruption 

 of any impassable natural falls, admirably calculated for fish nurseries, and requiring only a 

 modification of the dams to enable them at once to become the spawning-places and abodes 

 of countless myriads of fry. Into these streams, being the Second and Third rivers, as they 

 are termed, for the Passaic, the Black River for the Raritan, the Request and Muscanetcong 

 for the Delaware, and the Walkill and Esopuskill for the Hudson, they propose to turn out 

 sufficient numbers of fry, fully to insure the stocking of the rivers, provided the States will 

 furnish the actual cost of the purchase and transportation of the fish making no demands 

 for their own time, labor, and travel and grant the protection which they conceive to be 

 necessary, and without the concession of which, it is understood, that they will not stir in 

 the business. 



With regard to the feasibility of this scheme, according to the premises, there cannot be a 

 question. It has been proved, in other countries, that waters can be as easily stocked with 

 fish as parks with game, or pastures with cattle ; and, in view of the fact that these rivers 

 did once, beyond denial, abound in salmon, there can be no doubt, in any unprejudiced mind, 

 that they can be made to produce them again, in undiminished numbers. Nor is it to be 

 disputed, that the method proposed by these gentlemen is simple, reasonable, and well calcu- 

 lated to produce the desired end ; while it is presumed that the character and qualifications 

 of the persons engaged in the project may be taken as a sufficient guarantee for the plan 

 .being well carried out in its details. 



There remain to be considered, the conditions on which they offer to restock the rivers, 

 and the practicability and propriety of the according of those conditions by the legislatures 

 of the States concerned. 



The conditions, we learn, are as follow : 



1. An absolute prohibition to kill or take salmon in any of the rivers named, or in the 

 bays, estuaries, channels, or sea-ways into which they flow, for the space of five years, under 

 the penalty of $100 for each and every such offence, the whole to go to the informer. 



The term of five years is selected, as giving an opportunity to the fish to breed three times 

 previous to the capture of any. 



The large amount of the penalty, and its disposition, are assumed to be necessary, in order 

 to induce neighbors and fishermen to inform one against the other ; the ordinary small fine, 

 exacted in the usual game-laws, having been found utterly inoperative to procure the rendition 

 of informations. 



2. The prohibition, under the same penalties, of taking trout in the same waters and 

 their tributaries, for the same terms of years. 



This clause is adopted on account of the difficulty of distinguishing between trout and the 

 young salmon fry, which, unless thus protected, would be liable to destruction, as their 

 congeners the brook trout. 



3. The prohibition, under the same penalties, forever, of taking salmon between the months 

 of October and April, in any of the waters named or their tributaries, or on their spawning- 



