FOREST AND STREAM. 



19 



TROUTING IN NO RTH CAROLINA. 



' Morganton, N. C, July 23d, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



An article in last week's paper entitled "Camping on Lycoming 

 Creek" was very entertaining, principally on account of the long list of 

 home comforts the writer seems to think essential to a trip into the 

 woods. We do differently in this country, and, as an illustration, 1 wil 

 give you a short account of a trip I made to the South Tow River in 

 June. The party numbered four, and our outfit consisted of one coffee 

 pot, one frying pan, one tin kettle to boil water in, an axe, hatchet, 

 matches, two gum blankets, four woolen blankets, a change of clothes 

 each, one pound of coffee, two of sugar, three pounds of bacori, one 

 pound of salt, and some hard bread. Add fishing tackle and you see us 

 ready for the field. We only intended staying out four days, it is true, 

 but I would add nothing: but a little more provender if I intended to 

 camp for a month. Much baggage is a delusion and a snare. We were 

 on horseback, and crossed the Blue Ridge by the roughest trail I ever 

 saw. In fact, I would not have believed it possible for a horse to travel 

 over it if ours had not demonstrated it. We reached the river at 4 P. M., 

 having left home at 8 A. M. Picketed our horses, and while one of our 

 number caught some trout for supper the rest of us built our shanty, 

 collected enough wood to last through the night, and built a lire, and 

 after a good supper spread our blankets, and with our saddles for pil- 

 lows, lay down with our feet to the fire, smoked our pipes, and drank in 

 the quiet of the woods. Next morning at 7 o'clock three of us walked 

 up stream two miles, and waded it back to camp, reaching there at 4 

 P.M. with 141 trout. 



The South Tow is a beautiful but exceedingly rough stream. The 

 trout are small, the average weight being less than half a pound, but are 

 a very active, gamy fish. I am told this stream is fished almost con- 

 stantly, in season and out of season. 1 was gravely told that I must 

 "fish it in thefEaM. for then I would catch big ones. " As we came home 

 we fished i«,two hours in Buck Creek, and caught forty-seven good 

 sized fish, a*)d that reminds me of an article published some time ago 

 called "The HS1 Country of Georgia," in which it is stated that with 

 one exceptac* there are no streams running east from the Blue Ridge 

 which contain trout, from Middle Virginia south. The writer must take 

 a trip down here next season and convince himself of his mistake. One 

 day last May the Rev. Mr. II. and I fished Broad River near its source, 

 and from 7 A.M. tilt 3 P. M. caught 121 tiont. They are small, only an 

 occasional one reaching a pound in weight, but give excellent sport. 

 Since then some "scalawags" seined it, and in one day caught 420. 

 Buck Creek, another stream flowing east, affords good fishing also. 

 Three weeks ago the same friend and I arose at 3 A. M., rode eleven 

 miles, and having found a good place to leave our horses, walked up 

 stream a mile farther, waded down, and in four hours caught sixty-three 

 trout, all of one size nearly, and averaging about half a pound in weight. 

 I have heard of several other streams running in the same direction 

 (east) which are said to contain trout, but these two, viz.: Broad River 

 and Buck Creek, are the only ones I know of from experience. I wish 

 I could persuade some of the brotherhood to come this way next season; 

 from the middle of May till the last of June is the best time. They 

 would find a beautifully picturesque country, streams as clear as crystal, 

 lofty mountains— Mount Mitchell, you know, is higher than Mount 

 Washington— and among them solitude as profound as any one can de- 

 sire. GL H. M. 

 -*-•♦- 



SALMON FISHING IN THE BONAVEN- 



TURE. 



K 



Montmorenci Falls, P. Q., August 7th, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



Have just been reading your welcome paper of 5th hist, and see 

 therein some notes on Salmo salar. Although a tyro myself at the noble 

 sport of salmon killing, still I thought I would give you a report of an- 

 other river in the Bay of Chaleur. On Tuesday, July 20th, my friend 

 and self left Quebec in the Gulf Port streamer Secret for Paspebiac. 

 having, through the kindness of Hon. James Domville, of St. John, 

 N. B., M. P., a permit to fish the Grand Bonaventure River. Reports 

 of fishing from "beiow" had been fearfully discouraging, but having 

 some leisure time on my hands I determined to "wet a line" at all events. 

 We had a glorious time, and were most kindly and hospitably received 

 and entertained during our visit to that hitherto (to me) unknown region, 

 our thanks being mostly due to the good fortune of making the acquaint- 

 ance or Mr. John R. Hamilton, of New Carlisle, who was a fellow pas- 

 senger on the steamer, and to whom we are under many obligations. 

 ButTof the salmon. We learned that a Montreal gentleman had just left 

 the river after about a week's fishing, with only five fish. We got into 

 camp late Friday evening and left Wednesday noon. Saturday it poured 

 all day. Sunday fishing is Omtrd bonus motes, and Tuesday it rained 

 nearly all day. Monday was the only fishing day we had. We were in 

 luck in one respect, however; there was a fine run of fish come up the 

 river with the flood, and could we have waited another week I think we 

 should have been able to show a good score; as it was we were content 

 as having made the best of our opportunities.* Our score was as fol- 

 lows:-^ salmon; weight, 7f, 10, 18, 12, 11, 8j, 9*, 10, 7h 9, 11£, 9; total, 

 1231 pounds; average, 10£ pounds; 3 grilse, 4, 3|, 7i; total. 14 pounds; 

 average, 4f pounds; total 15 fish, IBM pounds; average, 9 l-(j pounds. 

 The killing flies were Yellow Drake, Jack Scott, and Silver Doctor. I 

 used a greenheart rod made by Diugee Scribncr, and do not care for a 

 better; believe it to be as good a rod as can be made of wood, and the 

 best rod for the money I have yet seen. Still I am too much of an ama- 

 teur at this sport to be infallible. 



Of tha Grand Bona venture I can only tell you what I saw. It is a 

 beautiful river, perfectly clear of obstructions, no bad rapids, and the 

 coldest, clearest water I ever fished. The river rose over four feet while 

 we were there, and even then one could see bottom in six or eight feet of 

 water. The only fault— if fault it be— is that the salmon pools are what 

 1 should call "rapids." There is no place so far up as we went, (say ten 

 or twelve miles,) where the water is even comparatively smooth . R i s a 

 continuous sharp descent, and you have to kill your fish in very heavy 

 water, especially wheu there is a flood on. As our fish were all fresh 

 run, you can imagine the sport they gave us better than I can describe it 

 I have had a taste of salmon fishing before, but when I landed that 

 eighteen-pounder after more than an hour's hard fight I felt as though I 

 had never known true happiness before, and did not care if I never killed 

 another fish. I had an experience worth my whole trip. I suppose you 

 will laugh at my enthusiasm over such small game, but how did you feel 

 Mr. Editor, when you killed your first large sui/no ? 



For a wonder sea trout did not trouble us much. They do not run up 

 that river until August in any numbers. We killed, however, all we 

 could eat, and sometimes more than we wished to. The universal report 

 from every fishermen I have seen is that it is a "beastly year for sal- 

 mon," both for net and rod. 



I may try the trout in this section; if so will send you score if it is 



good enough. Mac. 



, «**«». • 



New Cure for Wounds. — A correspondent writing to 

 the Scientific American, says : — 



"As soou as a punctured wound is inflicted, get a light stick 

 (a knife or file handle will do), and commence to tap gently 

 on the wound. Do not stop for the hurt, but continue 

 until it bleeds freely and becomes perfectly numb. When 

 this point is reached, you are safe; and all that s then 

 necessary is to protect it from dirt. Do not stop short of 

 the bleeding and the numbness, and do not on any account 

 close the opening with plaster. Nothing more than a little 

 simple cerate on a clean cloth is necessary. I have used* 

 and seen this used on all kinds of punctures for thirty 

 years, and never a single instance of a wound becoming in- 

 flamed or sore after treatment as above. 



nltnp. 



FISH CULTURE : 



ITS ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT, AND PROGRESS. 



BY ICnTHYOS. — NUMBER SIX. 



i 



- » 



THE question in connection with the location of a fish 

 farm, is when a choice has been made, how shall 

 we calculate the capacity of the water selected-, and about 

 to be utilized? To answer this intelligently we find no au- 

 thority but Dr. Slack's work on Trout Culture. After a 

 series of* experiments he found .that for each gallon of 

 water per minute at the temperature of 50°, ten pounds of 

 trout can be sustained, "thus" he says, "the Troutdale 

 spring delivers a volume of water which at the dryest sea- 

 son has been proved by repeated experiments to measure 

 twelve hundred and fifty gallons per minute: as each gallon 

 will support ten pounds of trout, twelve thousand five 

 hundred pounds weight can be sustained by the water, of 

 our spring." 



Dr. Slack further says, "when sufficient fall can be ob- 

 tained by proper aeration the capacity of the water may 

 be still greater increased." The following rule has been 

 adopted by enlightened fish culturists and has been found 

 to be the" most simple, and sufficiently accurate for all 

 practical purposes. "Measure the width and depth of the 

 stream where for a short distance the banks are nearly 

 parallel and the depth as nearly as may be uniform; be- 

 tween these parallel banks throw a float, chip or a cork 

 into the water, and note the distance it drifts in a quarter 

 of a minute, multiply the product of the depth and width 

 of the stream by the distance traversed by the chip or cork, 

 and the product when diminished by one fifth will give 

 the number of cubic feet delivered in a quarter of a min- 

 ute. The one fifth to be deducted, as the rapidity of the 

 flow on the surface is greater than at the bottom of the 

 stream. Tims, suppose the depth of the stream to lie two 

 feet and its width four, and that the chip has traveled ten 

 feet in one quarter of a minute. Twice four arc eight. 

 This multiplied by ten, the distance traversed by the float, 

 will give eighty, from which deduct one fifth, (16) and we 

 have sixty^four cubic feet as the amount delivered in a 

 quarter of a minute, or two hundred and fifty-six feet per 

 minute. Therefore as a cubic foot of water contains 

 about six and a quarter gallons, we multiply the number 

 of cubic feet (250) by six and a quarter, ami the result 1599, 

 will be the number of gallons furnished per minute by the 

 stream." The truthfulness of this mode of measurement 

 will depend upon the uniformity of depth and the parallel- 

 ism of the banks over which the float traversed. 



For the proper arrangement of ponds, a sufficient fail is 

 of paramount importance, a prime necessity. Indeed the 

 constant maintenance during the hot Summer months, of 

 proper temperature depends almost entirely on the rapidity 

 with which the water runs through the entire chain of 

 ponds. A dull, sluggish stream becomes rapidly heated. 

 A swift current may How over a long distance without the 

 water becoming perceptibly elevated in temperature. The 

 native place of the trout, is the swift running brook, and 

 consequently all artificial ponds for the propagation of this 

 beautiful and toothsome denizen of the mountain stream, 

 should be close imitations. Four feet is calculated to be 

 the least allowable fall, which will render a location suita- 

 ble for the construction of ponds for breeding trout. Over- 

 flow or influx of surface water has undoubtedly proved a 

 source of greater annoyance to pisciculturists, and the 

 means of producing greater losses than any and all other 

 untoward contingencies. Freshets gully and destroy the 

 banks of the ponds, and cause the escape sometimes of 

 large quantities of fish, thereby greatly reducing the 

 profits of fish culture. Especially are such disasters liable 

 to overtake fish farmers who select streams for farms, in- 

 stead of springs, which are greatly to be preferred, for the 

 reason that the overflow can be controlled more substanti- 

 ally, - In all cases should the site for operations be selected, 

 other things being equal, where still! clay predominates, as 

 this material only will form enduring banks. Sandy loam 

 or gravel with proper care in construction and protection 

 of the banks by sodding will do tolerable well, but stiff 

 clay is preferable. If a cold and pure running stream can 

 be found which possesses every natural facility, is constant 

 and unabating in its flow, the necessary head may be ob- 

 tained by damming the rivulet, which will give the requisite 

 fall, and the same life ami vigor to the current coursing 

 from pond to pond that may be obtained from a spring. 

 The series of ponds may be constructed either side of the 

 foot of the dam, and sluice-ways may be excavated so that 

 the water may be made to feed others lower down and 

 then discharge into the stream below, thus affording the 

 same facilities for fish breeding as in the use of a first-class 

 spring. 



If a pisciculturist is desirous of entering largely upon 

 this industry, considerations connected with easy access to 

 market should prompt a selection of site near a railroad, 

 where shipping facilities will place him in daily connec- 

 tion by rail with large cities, where alone are found custo- 

 mers for the expensive luxury of brook trout. The loca- 

 tion of a fish farm near a large city should be avoided, as 

 roughs, a> restless and vagabond population, to be found in 

 every city, have a special fondness for trout, and the 

 desire of poaching is so bred in their bones that nocturnal 

 visits from such individuals are usually frequent and at- 

 tended with unpleasant results and with great losses, and 

 constant vigilance is required to prevent such forays. In 

 fact, stealing trout from a private pond is too often re- 

 garded by even persons who rank in the so-called better 

 classes, as a very trivial offence, and in many States it is 

 considered inlaw, only as a tresspass, and' subjects the 

 perpetrator to merely a nominal fine. Poaching and the 

 slight punishment therefor has deterred many from en- 

 gaging in fish farming. No distinction is made between 

 fishes artificially propagated, grown with great labor and 

 expense, and those wild denizens of the mountain stream, 

 or those of the deep forest shade; all wherever found being 

 regarded as fern, whether wild or domesticated, and their 

 captors being liable only to a small fine, and the market 

 value of the fishes captured. It is said that a large percent- 

 age of the trout sold in New York markets bear certain and 

 unmistakable marks of gill nets, in which they are caupiit. 

 They are stolen from the magnificent fish farms on Long- 

 Island, and from others near the city. This feature must 

 continue for some time to be the greatest drawback to 

 America fish culture, at least it must operate as a discour- 



agement until public opinion takes advanced ground, is 

 educated up to a moral status capable of sustaining more 

 stringent laws against pot hunting and poaching. We 

 must take a higher stand against these vile crimes, or the 

 products of our toil will continue to be taken from us, re- 

 gardless of their value or intrinsic worth and without fear 

 of punishment. Trained bloodhounds are used on some 

 fish farms, and they soon put an end to night depredators. 

 Too much stress, we repeat, cannot be placed upon the 

 proper selection of the site for a fish farm; indeed the suc- 

 cess of the enterprise depends entirely upon a judicious 

 location. Should a site be found to combine all the natural 

 advantages which prefigure success, then to perfect the 

 work must commence the labor of human hands, must 

 begin the exercise of skill and art, so blended with nature's 

 efforts, artless art, as to appear the work almost of nature 

 herself. 



To he Continued. 



Fish for the Centennial— Specimens in Plaster.— 

 Since the appropriation by Sweden of $100,000 for the 

 sole purpose of exhibiting the fish of its waters at the 

 Centennial, the zeal of the United States Commissioners in 

 that direction, in the interest of their own countiy, has 

 greatly increased. Professor Baird, of the Smithsonian 

 Institute, is at present engaged at Wood's Hole, Mass., in. 

 making an exact counterpart in plaster of paris of every 

 species of fish that swims in waters contiguous to the 

 United States. A mould of the fish is first taken, after- 

 ward "the copy is painted directly from the originals. Mr. 

 Eugene Blackford has at present at Fulton Market three 

 specimens of this work, which were sent him as a compli- 

 ment by Professor Baird, who has received from Mr. 

 Blackford 300 different species of fish, for the advancement 

 of science at the Institute which he represents. 



FrsirwAvs for the Potomac. — We understand that the 

 Great Falls of the Potomac have have been surveyed with 

 a view to plant a fish way there, and that Prof. Baird and 

 the Maryland and Virginia Commissioners decide its estab- 

 lishment practicable. 



— M. A. Wilmot, Esq., of Newcastle, N. B., the agent 

 .of the Dominion Government, for propagating fish in the 

 rivers and streams, is making a tour of Nova Scotia to de- 

 termine upon the best streams in that Province to stock 

 with young salmon, trout, bass, whitcfish, etc. 

 -♦♦♦■ 



Seth Green. — The people of New York State are be- 

 coming aware of the fact that Seth Green is one of the 

 greatest benefactors of the age. The Hudson River will 

 again be stocked with sturgeon. It is not many years 

 since the river was full of this fish, and it was very popular 

 as an article of food; but of late years they have become 

 very scarce. Mr.' Green has been endeavoring for some time 

 to procure sturgeon, in order to secure the spawn to hatch. 

 This he finally succeeded in doing, and on Thursday some 

 thirty or forty thousand sturgeon were hatched. The 

 spawn was placed in the shad-hatching boxes, and hatched 

 in four days at a temperrture of 72°. The experiment was 

 conducted at the New Hamburg grounds by Mr. A. D. 

 Marks, under Mr. Green's supervision. Several thousand 

 more young sturgeon are confidently expected, as the result 

 of this movement: and the Hudson River will in a few 

 years again be full of this fish. 



Not only will plenty of sturgeon follow from this experi- 

 ment, but plenty of shad also. Mr. Green has been labor- 

 ing for some time to secure the passage of a Sunday law, 

 to prevent shad fishing on that day; but the influence of 

 the New York stake fishermen has thus far been too much 

 for him. These fishermen stick their stakes for from 

 thirty to forty miles above New York down into the har- 

 bor, and reaching entirely across the river. And these 

 stakes are planted so closely that their gill nets are sure to 

 catch the fish, so that scarcely any can pass them. But if 

 Sunday fishing was prohibited, they would have one day 

 to escape these nets, and would subsequently be caught by 

 the up river fishermen. What cannot be accomplished by 

 law, however, can sometimes be done by stategy, as the 

 stake fishermen will find; for when the Hudson River once 

 more abounds in sturgeon, the fish will force their way 

 through these nets, tearing them to pieces and liberating 

 the shad, thus saving the New York harbor police from 

 doing it for them. — Albany Argus. 



CALIFORNIA FISH PLANTING. 



A San Ekancisco, August 5th, 1875. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



Wo are advancing rapidly in stocking our rivers and lakes with a va- 

 riety of food fishes. What sport is in store for anglers in coming time! 

 Indeed, we cannot even now complain of want of amusement in this 

 line. It has lately been discovered that the Schuylkill catfish, or "lady 

 cat, 11 which were placed in some of the sloughs and streams of the Lower 

 Sacramento and San Joaquin have greatly multiplied, and in one slough 

 that was drained for some purpose thousands of these valuable fish have 

 been taken. I beiieve these catfish, which are favorite breakfast fish in 

 Philadelphia and its suburbs, and which afford recreation there for some 

 anglers, are not the same as the channel catfish of the Ohio and some 

 other of the Western rivers, but a variety of the genus. I understand 

 some yellow cattish, or bull-heads, have also been put into the Lower 

 Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. These Schuylkill and Ohio catfish 

 are a vci»y active, lively fish, and a nice addition to the cuisine, being 

 sweet, and the flesh white. Genio O. Scott states s that "the Ohio channel 

 cut ranges from five to fifteen pounds in weight, is symmetrically formed, 

 with a smaller head than the brown or black, or yellow catfish, and finer 

 in general outline than the others, and is also lighter and brighter in 

 color. It remains in the swiftest waters of the channel, and feeds on the 

 chub, wach, and other small fry. It is one of the greatest delicacies of 

 the fish kind, and in play it affords the disciple of rod and reel a treat 

 long to be remembered. When hooked its run is very swift, and it is 

 hard to turn and coax out of the channel, or to the gaff and landing net." 

 My experience verifies tins description, only that I do not agree with the 

 writer that ic can be compared for the table with the trout and the salmon, 

 particularly when the latter is in its grilse state. I understand that 

 some of these fish, too, have been planted in the Sacramento and San 

 Joaquin. 



Mr. Throckmorton, our zealous and enlightened Pish Commissioner, 

 informs me that the young salmon (Salm) quinndt) put into our fresh 

 water lakes not communicating with the ocean change in many respects 

 their nature, becoming longer and slimmer, preserving, if not increasing, 



