FOREST AND STREAM 
905 
49 
around to northeast, cut the tides out and “ sanded up” 
the inlet, and we became for a time completely land¬ 
locked. 
As the foregoing is enough for one issue of your val¬ 
uable paper, I shall endeavor to finish this sketch in an¬ 
other article. Commodore. 
isfied. There are more treasures to be found in our count¬ 
less lakes, grand rivers and dashing brooks, when looked 
for by the light of science, than were ever found by Alad¬ 
din with his wonderful lamp ? Why look for gold on the 
Pacific shore, or delve for hidden palaces among the buried 
cities of Yucatan, when there are such stores of wealth 
in our bright waters. 
#4 
Pish Culture in Maine,— We liave had this in our 
pigeon-hole a long time. It is now just as good as it ever 
was. It is an extract from the address of Dr. Geo. W, 
Martin, of Augusta, Me., before the Kennebec Association 
for the Protection of Fish and Game:— 
I believe water—neglected, ill used water—if properly 
tilled, to bo much more valuable than land, through its 
greater productive powers—powers which are greater be¬ 
cause we have a combination of two elements, both land 
and water, helping and encouraging each other in the 
work of reproduction—and where the best species of fish, 
as sal tnon and trout, can be cultivated, it is capable of 
yielding a revenue very far exceeding that of laud alone. 
Francis Francis, the leading fish-culturist of England, who 
has been years in the business, says: “ Two or twenty, 
or two hundred acres of water will produce double the 
weight of animal food that two, twenty, or two hundred 
acres of land will, if as carefully tilled, and with this 
striking difference — that in case of the production, as re¬ 
gards la nd, there are very heavy working and other expen¬ 
ses) in the case of water there are comparatively few. 
Fish, even if left to themselves, will eat and groiv, and 
nature will provide the means of sustenance, without, 
either barn or stables, teams or fences, seeds or farming 
implements, or even draining. Fish are our own produce, 
and worth so much per pound in the market on any day 
we like to sell them, and if we do not sell them, why we 
shall not lose by keeping them, for they cost us no money 
to feed, as do bullocks or sheep. If we have enough to 
export, they are a source of exchange and wealth, and 
will relieve our over taxed industry; or, at least, the effect 
of a large introduction of fish into our home provision- 
markets would speedily influence the price of every other 
production." 
Maine has the finest system of lakes, ponds, rivers and 
brooks in the world, covering an area of 2,048,000 square 
acres of inland water, and well suited to the production 
of fish—capable of producing food equal to half a million 
acres of the most fertile land in the State. In fact, be¬ 
fore our rivers were obstructed by dams and our fish butch¬ 
ered on their spawning-beds and destroyed by nets, our 
rivers were swarming with elegant food-fish—salmon, 
trout, shad and alewives were abundant. The question 
Iliac most concerns us is, can our fish be restored? Yes. 
But 1st, fish-ways must be built over our dams, and 
exhausted waters restocked with migratory fish. 2d, our 
fish must be protected during their time of breeding. To 
show what can be done in the way of restocking rivers, I 
will refev to the river Galway in Ireland. I quote from 
official reports. ‘ ‘ The salmon fisheries of the Galway are 
owned by Thomas Ashworth, who came into possession of 
them in 1852. They were in an exhausted condition. 
Mr. Ashworth had good fish-ways built over the dams, 
bad the fishing restricted, and protection given to the fish 
on their breeding grounds. The result was that the catch 
of salmon rose in ten years from 1,000 to 20,000,” and Mr. 
Ashworth made a fortune out of his private enterprise. 
The river Tay, in Scotland, shows a similar result. 
Trout eggs were carried, a few years ago, from England 
to far off Australia and planted in waters where trout 
were unknown. To-day some trout are taken there weigh¬ 
ing six and eight pounds, and smaller ones are caught in 
great numbers. 
Official statistics show that the salmon fisheries of the 
Columbia River, in Oregon, are worth over $2,000,000 a 
year. I find by the IT. S. Fisb Commissioner’s report for 
187(1, that R. D Hume, Wm. Hume, G. W. Hume and Jos¬ 
eph Hume, formerly from Augusta, did a business in 
canning salmon worth $750,000 ; and that A. S. Hapgood, 
another Augusta bov, put up $150,000 worth of salmon, 
making iu all $900,000. The Kennebec was originally as 
good a salmon river, in proportion to its size, as the Col¬ 
umbia. There is no reason why the fisheries of the Ken¬ 
nebec, if properly developed, should not produce a reve¬ 
nue of half a million dollars. What we lack is suitable 
fish-ways for salmon, shad and alewives to go up our riv¬ 
ers where they can flud gravel-beds on which to spawn. 
A few years of intelligent and well-directed work will 
accomplish wonders. Fish-ways must be built, and our 
nearly exhausted rivers must be restocked with salmon, etc. 
In passing, I wish to say a word about our Fish and 
Game Laws, which are intended to protect fish and game 
during their breeding season, and, if properly observed, 
will make them more abundant. It is for the interest of 
every citizen of the State to obey these laws. Especially 
hotel keepers, railroad managers and stage owners ; for 
it will i ncrease travel, and Of course, increase their profits. 
Sportsmen and people in search of recreation go where 
they can find fish and game. What would the Moosehead 
and Rangeley Lake travel be worth, were it not for the 
trout and game found in those regions? Protective laws 
especially benefit the “Pot hunters," who kill fish and 
game for profit; because they can catch more, with less 
labor, and at a time when it will bring a better market 
price; and thereby will reap a double profit. It is for the 
interest of every citizen to obey these laws ; for it will 
make food cheaper and more plenty, and add to the wealth 
and resources of our Slate. 
Fish are unfit to eat during their spawning season, 
They become poor; their flesh is soft and loses its pecu¬ 
liar color, and also loses its fine flavor. It is positively 
unhealthy —no more fit to eat than a getting hen. a cow 
that has just dropped a oalf, or a sow with a litter of pigs, 
Did you ever catch a trout in the spring, or during the 
summer, when it is full of life and vigor ? when if will 
make such a gallant fight for its existence? Do you 
remember how hard and red its flesh was, and its splendid 
flavor when cooked V Take the same trout in the fall from 
it spawning beds and it is as lazy as a chub—its vigor is 
gone ; its flesh is soft and pale ; itis insipid and tasteless— 
uo better than a sucker. 
Geutlemen, if Iliave succeeded in awakening an interest 
n the subject of fish-culture, and called your attention to 
he great sources of wea lth in our inland waters, I am sat- 
How Oysters are Fattened. —The oysters obtained 
from Tangier Sound, Lynnhaven, and wlmt are known as 
the seaside oysters, are a rather small oyster, enclosed in 
an immense shell—their native element being salt water. 
These oysters, when dredged and brought to the Balti¬ 
more mavket, are sold to the packers and others at the 
rate of about sixty cents a bushel. 
Recently a plan has been discovered by which these 
oysters can be not only fattened in a very short time, but 
their value enhanced at least 150 per cent. Two of the 
large packing firms are now engaged in this business, and 
the manner of procedure is decribed as follows byonewho 
has watched the operation : — 
“ When the oysters are unloaded from the pungies they 
are transferred to scows, over which a deck is built, aud 
on which deck the oysters are placed. Each of these scows 
will carry a deck load of about 600 bushels of oysters. 
The scows are then towed to a point in the Patapsco 
River, near the Ferry Bar Bridge, where the water is 
quite shallow. 
“ The vacant space in the scow, between the deck and 
the bottom, is filled with water by means of a valve, and 
the scow is sunk. There she is loft during two flood 
tides, when the water is pumped from her by means of 
a small machine provided for the purpose, and the scows 
are then towed up to the city again. 
The change from the salt to the fresh water, and the 
immersion of the oyster during these flood tides, it is 
said, fatten them until what was at first but a compara¬ 
tively insignificant oyster becomes a plump and luscious 
bivalve, filling its immense shell. 
“After this operation, the oysters, which, as stated, 
cost originally about sixty cents a bushel, are placed on 
the market, and readily command$l. 50 to $1.60 a bushel." 
Recently there were seven scow loads of these oysters 
immersed, and the firms engaged in the business have 
twelve scows constantly employed. The whole operation 
is under the supervision of one man, who undertakes the 
fattening for a consideration of ten cents a bushel, the 
firms furnishing the appliances . —Queens County Safe¬ 
guard. _ 
Accidental Tautog Culture.— The Newport (R. I.) 
Neivs accounts for the presence of tautog in Cape Cod 
Bay, Mass., in this way : “It is about twenty years since 
the first tautog was taken in Cape Cod Bay. About 
twenty-one years ago a fishing-smack sailed from Long 
Island with her well filled with live tautog. She was 
wrecked on Race Point, near Provincetown, and the fish 
escaped. This is believed to be the manner in which this 
species was first introduced in these waters. They are 
taken now around the rocks and on the ledges in all of 
the Cape towns.” That was bread cast upon the waters 
and returning after many days. 
Trout Fry. —As will be seen in our advertising col¬ 
umns, fish culturists have a rare opportunity of securing 
yearling trout fry from the fish farm of the Thompson 
Brothers at New Hope, Pa. This establishment L one of 
the best equipped and most intelligently managed in the 
country. ___ 
W en nwT gimt egishittg. 
FISH IN SEASON IN DECEMBER. 
ERESH WATER. 
Black Bass, Miitroptena salmo- I Pike or Pickerel, Esox Indus. 
ides; M. niurlcans. Yellow Perch, Perea flavetcens. 
Sea Bass, Scicenops oceltatus. \ White Porch ,Morone amerieana. 
The Gloucester Fisheeage Loss,—The statistics an¬ 
nually published by the Cape Ann Advertiser, Glouces¬ 
ter, Mass., of the losses of life during the year, possesses 
a pathetic interest. With the review of the year always 
comes a summing up of the number of poor fellows who 
have gone down in the sinking ships, and this is a more 
melancholy record than that of any other industry. The 
year 1879 has been an exceptionally disastrous one, 
scarcely a week having passed without some calamity. 
Thirteen vessels went down, 143 men were drowned, 56 
women were widowed, and 150 children left defenceless 
in a single February gale. So overwhelming a calamity 
couicl not fail to awaken a generous sympathy, and $28,- 
216.72 was contributed to feed and clothe and shelter the 
bereaved andhelpless survivors of thelost mariners. The 
February gale, however, furnishes but a part of the dire¬ 
ful history of the fisheries in 1879. In all thirty vessels, 
comprising over a tenth part of Gloucester's fishing ton¬ 
nage-valued at $118,789, nearly all of which was in¬ 
sured on the mutual system, and is therefore a direct loss 
of working capital—sailed to return no more, and 342 
lives have been lost, leaving 88 widows and 219 fatherless 
children, 
—Dr. L. R. Bungerford, bf the firm of Williams & 
Hungerford, of Hartford, Conn., will leave for Florida 
next week, intending to spend a portion of the winter 
near Enterprise on ihe St. John’s River. He will take 
the canvas boat with him which Mr. T. Sedgwick Steele 
used ou his trip through the wilds of Maine last summer. 
•Joaquin Miller has been writing to the Independen 
of trout fishing in the Sierra Nevadas. 
FISH SWALLOWING FISH. 
T HE contest for our big fish hook, offered for the best 
story of one fish swallowing another, is lively. 
Every man entered is equipped with the very best 
tackle. Each one is bringing into play his deftest skill, 
and he whe comes out “ high hook ” must prove himself 
an expert of no mean renown. The series of stories 
already evolved and now evolving is, we venture to say, 
the mogt unique in American sporting literature. Our 
numerous angbng friends are again admonished that the 
competition closes January 1st, 1880. All letters mailed 
before that date will be admitted. The following 
stories are fair to middling. No one of them is just what 
we are looking for. Who has that story? The big hook 
has not been awarded. Next week’s instalment will 
simply amaze aud mystify. But sufficient unto this week 
are the stories thereof. Here they are :— 
|I L,,, „ . , ,, Boston, Dcc.miv 
Editor Forest and Stream 
Last summer, ou one of my excursions on the Cape, Oapt. Jen¬ 
kins ami myself went Cor a day’s bassing on Triangle Pond, Sand- 
ick. Unfortunately it was one of those days when, nothing 
would ooax the fickle bass, and we were unsuccessful; caught 
several goad sized perch, but no bass. Upon our return to the 
lauding with the boat, weof course; doubted stories we had heard 
of tho plentifulness of bass In this particular pond, which by the 
way had been stocked some eight or ten years previously and was 
just tho place, everything considered, for a good day’s sport. 
Onr boatmen informed us that wo were simply unlucky In the 
day, l’or the fish wero plenty, only capricious, and wo were uu- 
fortunate. During our conversation ho informed ua that about 
a week previous lie found, a few rods below tho landing place, a 
pickerel dead upou the shore, with a black basa partially swallow¬ 
ed, so far down, head first, as to suffocate the pickerel. The bass 
weighed over throe pounds; the piokorel six and a half. s. 
Cleveland, 0„ Dec. istfi. 
Editor Forest a Nd Stream 
In this locality, wheul was a boy, every one went fishing and 
Shooting. In fact, in those early days, when game and fish wero 
plenty and free to all, every boy carried a gun on one shoulder, a 
fish pole on tht> other, and at the same time was extremely ex¬ 
pert In running away from school. Pishing one Saturday aftei- 
noon outlie “Old River Bed,” fish plentyaud biting freely, we 
soon ran out of worms. The boys would lend mo none, so wo Just 
took tho eye out of a 6traw bass, for bait on our hook. While 
so doing the fish slipped and flopped back Into tho water. Within 
a minute we caught that same fish with his own eye. Unfortu¬ 
nately the eye slipped off tho hook and was lost. So all wo had 
to do was to pull out the other eye for bait, and as bad luck would 
have it, for us, that lucky eyeless fish just Popped out of our 
hands the second time Into the water. But within less than an¬ 
other minute a big red-beaded boy on the “flood wood log,'next 
to us, pulled out that sauieidentical straw base minus his two 
eyes. Da. E. Sterling. 
K Manchester, Vt., Dec. 8th. 
I notice your offer of “ abighook;” now I have any quantity of 
hooks, but don't object to a big one for u sign, So I will tell you 
“a little story.” 
About thirty years ago I was fishing up a small mountain stream 
fortrout; there were plenty of them, hut quite small. T1 ib bushes 
were thick and there was no chance to " cast a fly," so I was fish¬ 
ing with worms, hut soon got out of them and went to using 
the eyes of the trout for halt, winch they took quite as freely as 
the worms. After taking quite a number this Way, I caught one 
some five inches long, and aB I took him off my hook I drew the 
hook into one of his eyes and pulled It out for a fresh bait (a cruel 
thing os it looks to me now), and In putting him Into my coat 
pocket, (had no basket) ho slippod out of my hand and fell into 
the water at my foot and swam out In front of mo about the 
length of my short rod and stopped short. I thought I would try 
him again, as he lmd one eye left. So I put the hook with his own 
eye on it immediately in front of his nose and he took it in¬ 
stantly, and 1 caught him and saved him. 
You maybesure I was astonished to eothim again, and examined 
him carefully, and there was no mistake, it was the same one— 
one eye gone from the same side—freslily torn out, and there 
could he no mistake, asl did not lose sight of him from tho lime 
he went from under my feet until I had him again, In less than 
one half a minute. 
Now this proves to me two things: 1. ThatTshnll havethe « hig 
hook.” 2. That fishes are not much sensible to pain, and Mr. 
Bergli 1ms nf> call to bother us fishermen. C. F. Ohvts. 
Albany, N. Y-, Dec. 715. 
Editor Forest and Stream 
In my younger days I had ofter heard what, fine sport It was to 
catch trout ou the fly; so one cloudy morning in June, I started 
for a neighboring brook, equipped for tbe occasion. Arriving 
there just after sun-up, I chose a favorable pool and made my 
first cast. To my surprise a fine trout (darted at it, and just when 
he seemed to ha in reach of It, turned like a flash, aiming a blow 
with bis caudal appendage at my Uy. Very much surprised, and 
being a ball player, I scored one strike and tried it again, with 
like results. By this time I became convinced that I did not give 
him a chance, so cast again a little slower. Now, that fish was 
either frenzied with hunger or else desperate after his repeated 
failures, for with one rnigltl y rush and slap, he shot that fly iu his 
throat, and so great was tbe force that he swallowed himself, tail 
end first, and before I could recover from my astonishment there 
wero two more fish on my files, making three in all—one on each 
hook and tho dosperntc specimen, inverted, strung on my lender. 
Carefully drawing the exhausted trio to the bank, I sorrowfully 
wended my way homeward, thinkiug what a horrible thing It 
would be to fall in among a school of trout and have your brains 
knocked out with thelrtalls before you could recover. And from 
that moment I vowed allegiance to the black bass, and have 
maintai ned it to tills day. Dexter. 
Some of the greatest failures in this world are those of 
men who fritter away their lives in vain attempts to 
build an insufficient foundation, Had “ Dexter” started 
—Movements of the Fishing Fleet— Only two Bank 
arrivals have been reported at this port the past week, 
with 13,000 pouuds halibut. The number of Georges ar¬ 
rivals has been nine, bringing 126,000 pounds codfish and 
3,600 pounds halibut. Whole number of arrivals for the " ™ ,. . , , , ,, , , 
week, eleven ; total receipts, 126,000 pounds codfish, 16,- out wlth S larger species of fish he could have had a le- 
000 pounds halibut ,— Cape Ann Advertiser, Dec. 18/A. 1 speetably magnificent yam. 
