

MAV it 1888.1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



291 



<$isl{cnttwe. 



THE AMERICAN FISHCULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 



PBOCEEDINGS ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 



(Continued). 



THE PRESIDENT— The paper just rend by Mr. Smiley is a 

 most valuable one and exhibits the power of statistics. 

 Such information, covering such a wide extent of territory in 

 so thorough a manner, could not well be gathered by private 

 enterprise, nor by the Fish Commission of any State. The 

 United States Fishery Commission is doing a grand work if 

 it never does anything else than gather reliable statistics of 

 our fisheries, and when this field is well worked, as is now 

 being done, we iviD have what we never had before, a correct 

 knowledge of our fishery resources. 



The Secketabt then read the following: 

 HATCHING STRIPED BASS, STURGEON AND TROUT. 



BY SETH GBEEN. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the American Pishcultural 

 Association — There have been but a few sturgeon and striped 

 bass hatched artificially. The reason that there have not 

 been more is that it is so difficult to get the mature fish when 

 the spawn is ripe. In many of our waters there, is no great 

 difficulty experienced in getting both sturgeon and striped 

 bass that are quite far advanced or well along toward the 

 time when they are ready to east their spawn, and if a suitable 

 place could be prepared where the fish could be placed and 

 kept securely for a few days until the. ova had reached the 



E roper stage of development, there could be millions of them 

 atehed artificially without a doubt. 



The New York State Pish Commission has stationed men at 

 different points on the Hudson River where the most stur- 

 geon were caught, principally at nyde Park, New Hamburgh, 

 Tivoli and Catskill during three seasons, and has succeeded in 

 hatching one hundred and fifty-five thousand young fry. 

 The mature fish are so scarce that it was with great difficulty 

 that a ripe mule and female could be obtained at the same 

 time, although every exertion was made to obtain them, and 

 every fish was inspected as it was brought in by the fishermen 

 as long as the season lasted, which is during the months of 

 May and June. If a pond or enclosure could be so con- 

 structed that eels could not gain access to it, it would be a long 

 step toward the propagation of sturgeon. Eels are the great 

 drawback to keeping sturgeon in pens for propagating pur- 

 poses, for the reason that when the female is ripe, or ready 

 to cast her spawn, the vent enlarges or loosens to such an 

 extent that eels are enabled to enter therein and five upon 

 the ova until it has all been destroyed. I have seen this fre- 

 quently when I have had them in fish cars. 



It would be very difficult to find a place on the Hudson or 

 any other river that flows into the ocean, where a pond could 

 be built and not be infested with eels, but I believe such an 

 enclosure could be made with a little experimenting and care- 

 ful study, In ease there was no pond, I think the experiment 

 would be worth trying of putting the fish in ordinary cars, 

 and constructing a harness of some sort to fasten around the 

 fish, and protect the vent from invasion fey the eel, a simple 

 cloth or leather bandage might answer, but I would suggest a 

 small bag made in the shape of a jug or otherwise, being 

 fastened to the bandage securely around the aperture. I 

 think the difficulty could be overcome by pursuing some 

 such course. I offer this as a suggestion, arid perhaps it may 

 put somebody on the right track to work it out and make a 

 great success. 



There is no question about its being very necessary' to prop- 

 agate sturgeon artificially. There is no other way to keep up 

 the supply, and unless it is done sturgeon must soon become 

 a luxury of the past. 



I have never seen or known of an eel entering a striped bass, 

 but I should think some precaution would be necessary in case 

 very large females were kept in confinement, either in careful 

 construction of pen, or protecting the vent as suggested above, 

 in case it was found necessary. The striped bass are caught 

 atWeldon, N. C, on the Roanoke, and in some other of our 

 Southern rivers in large quantities. In some localities large 

 numbers are caught on what are called bv the fishermen racks 

 or slides. Those are built of wood on the inclined plan princi- 

 ple, the top being covered with slats raised a short distance 

 apart, allowing the water to sift through. They are set in the 

 most rapid part of the river, and leaders branch out from both 

 sides dear the water's edge, which guide the fish to the rack 

 or slide. Thousands of striped bass are caught in this way. 

 I am of the opinion that if experienced men were placed on 

 these racks during the month of May, when the fish were run- 

 ning, and select the females which were nearly ripe, and place 

 , them in a car properly constructed, that a great success could 

 be made, in hatchiug them. There is no trouble in securing ripe 

 males when the fish are running, but as a precaution it would 

 be well to pen a few in case of an emergency. I have hatched 

 both sturgeon and striped bass successfully in my shad hatch- 

 ing box, If sturgeon or striped bass were to be kept in con- 

 finement for propagating purposes, at least two cars should be 

 constructed, so that the fish could be overhauled daily, or as 

 often as was thought necessary, and worked over from one 

 car into the other. This would aid greatly in the prosecution 

 of the work. 



The New York Fish Commission has this season offered for 

 distribution to any parties in the United States or Canada, ap- 

 plying before March 1, and sending fifty cents to defray cost 

 of packing, a, package of 300 to 500 eggs of the California 

 mountain "trout for experiment, In response to the notice we 

 have received 348 applications from the following States, Ter- 

 ritories, and provinces: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Con- 

 necticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Missouri, Indiana, Michi- 

 gan, Minnesota, Vermont, New York, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, 

 Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky, Dakota, Wisconsin, Kansas, 

 Texas, New Mexico, Mississippi, Louisiana, New Hampshire, 

 Maine, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ontario, California, Que- 

 bec, Oregon, Nova Scotia, Utah, Wyoming, and Newfound- 

 land. Each one of the applicants will be given as large, a sup- 

 ply as that with which the New York Fish Commission 

 started, and from which we have succeeded in hatching 1 ,'M 0,- 

 000 young fry. If one-half of the 348 applicants should suc- 

 ceed in raising and propagating this species, so that each one 

 Should succeed innate-lung 1,(H)T),U00 during the next six years, 

 we would have 124^000,000 more of this excellent game and 

 food fish in existence than would otherwise have been the 

 case. I am very anxious to see this fish in every lake and 

 stream in the country suitable for them, and hope, that the 

 success of this wide* distribution may be as great, if not 

 greater, than I have mentioned above. I have also taken 

 pains to put each applicant in the way of procuring practical 

 information in the way to hatch and rear the fish successfully. 



The PRESIDENT— Mr. Green has been called "the father of 

 fishes" but I notice here among us a gentleman who is a friend 

 of him who may be called the ''grandfather of fishes." I refer 

 to the venerable Doctor Garliek, the father of American fish- 

 culture and would ask Mr. Pease, of Cleveland, who is a friend 

 of the. Doctor's, how he is in health and spirits. 



Mr. Pease— Dr. Garlick's health, as most of you know, has 

 not been good for inanv years. He is now in his seventy-sixth 

 year and 'is a great sufferer, but his spirit is unbroken. He 

 takes great interest m fisheulture yet and roads all your reports 

 and the Forest and Stream with great interest. I do not 

 know that I can say more on this subject than to say that the 

 Doctor is with you in spirit, although not able to be here in 

 person. 



Mb. Phillips— We expected a paper from Mr. S. M. John- 



son, of the firm of Johnson & Young, Warren Bridge, Boston, 

 on the lobster question. Mr. Johnson has given us much 

 valuable information at previous meetings and is one of the 

 best informed men on the lobster question in the country. In 

 place of a paper he has written a letter to Mr. Blackford 

 which I will take the liberty of reading, although evidently 

 not intended to be read before the association. My apology 

 for doing this is the information contained, which we cannot 

 afford to miss. He says: 



Boston, April 1, 1882. 

 Mr. Blackford: 



Dear Sib — This everlasting lobster question appears so in- 

 evitably that I thought I would write just one word to you 

 instead of attempting to bore the Association, and in a word 

 say what I think about the matter now, as well as in the past. 

 If my memory serves me I made the statement before the 

 Association at the first meeting which I attended, that we 

 were doing more injury than we realized, and I think so still, 

 and that each recurring year confirms and intensifies the truth 

 of that assertion, and the seeming necessity for evading a 

 wise law to keep up even a partial supply proves the wisdom 

 of that law, ana that we are making sacrifices of future good 

 to gratify present demands. In using these small lobsters we 

 are hypothecating our stock in trade and cutting off our future 

 supply. The price that has been paid this year for those small 

 lobsters shows to what straits we are already reduced, and 

 using small ones this year to keep the price down only adds 

 greatly to what the price will be next year, and so on. This 

 of course is apparent to you, and I should not say anything 

 about it except for the reason that I wish to keep the matter 

 alive and try to avert an evil so sure to come unless we can 

 manage to have our law enforced. If lobsters have been 

 worth, or rather if they would bring, twelve cents a pound 

 this year in New York, "it is because we have destroyed so 

 much of our supply, an 1 using small ones is a sure way to in- 

 crease the price year by year, We are constantly' in receipt of 

 letters saving we cannot ship to you because we can sell every- 

 thing in New York regardless of size, which, if true, is wrong. 

 Not because it affects me personally, but because it affects the 

 whole business, and brings about a state of things which good 

 men and the combined wisdom of such associations as the 

 American Fishcultural Association are striving to prevent. _ 



I wish to put myself on record as advocating a just and wise 

 law for the preservation of lobsters. I do not write this to 

 have it appear to the Association, but hope you will see fit to 

 mention the matter. S. M. Johnson. 



Mr. Blackford— Mr. Johnson is greatly interested in- the 

 ten-and-a-half-inch lobster law, as the only way to preserve 

 the lobster fisheries. Last year lobsters sold as high as twen- 

 tv-five cents per pound at retail, and even higher. Small lob- 

 sters are sent here for sale, notwithstanding the law against 

 it, and many go to New Jersey, where there is no law on the 

 subject. 



CARP NEAR PITTSBURG— Mr. George Finley has been 

 personally known to us for the past eight years, and during 

 that time he has been much interested in fisheulture. He was 

 formerly engaged in the breeding of goldfish, but has lately 

 turned his attention to carp. The Pittsburg Fast says: "The 

 breeding of Gei-man carp is becoming an industry of no small 

 importance in this country. It has extended to Pittsburg, 

 and it is not generally known that the culture of this fish is 

 carried on quite extensively in the East End. Mr. George 

 Finley, a well-known resident of that section of the city, has 

 on his premises off Frankstown avenue a system of thirteen 

 propagation ponds, including Silver Lake. Yesterday after- 

 noon a representative of the Post visited the gentleman's 

 place to ascertain some facts which might be of interest con- 

 cerning carp-breeding. Mr. Finley said that in October, 1879, 

 he procured from the II. S. Fish Commissioners twenty-five 

 German or European carp. They were about as broad as a 

 man's thumb, and some much smaller, and but a few in dies 

 long. He put them in two small lakes of different exposures 

 and different temperatures of water in summer. When the 

 water in one of these ponds was drawn off the next fall the 

 fish were found to measure sixteen and a half inches in length, 

 and in the following fall of 1881 they were nineteen inches, and 

 each weighed full five pounds by close, weighing. Since Octo- 

 ber, 1879, those twenty-five fish have multiplied so rapidly 

 that other ponds were required to hold them, and they can 

 now be counted in schools of thousands. Mr. Finley has had 

 twenty-eight years' experience in the culture of golden carp, 

 better known as goldfish, and having carefully studied their 

 habits during that long period, he. found that the characteris- 

 tics of golden-fish and' the German carp were entirely similar. 

 Hence his knowledge gained of goldfish has been of great ser- 

 vice in the successful culture of the true carp of later years. 

 Although a bottom fish, and preferring to eat off the bottom, 

 his take their food from the surface. He feeds them largely 

 on stale bread got at the bakers. The bread floats on the sur- 

 face, and is torn and jerked under with the voracity of young 

 sharks, and is a source of endless amusement, especially so 

 to persons unaccustomed to such sights. Nothing appears to 

 come wrong to them; they eat almost anything, and appear 

 to have no preference; all they want is enough quantity, not 

 quality. They devour all kinds of kitchen offal, including 

 any kind of tender vegetables, such as lettuce, celery, soiled 

 cabbage, etc., etc. Barrel after barrel of broken crackers 

 from the bakers have been fed them. The open winter this 

 year has been of great advantage in propagating." 



CARP FOR SALE.— Most applicants for carp want those 

 which will spawn immediately. This is natural, but it is no 

 more possible to obtain such fish from the national carp ponds 

 than to get fruit-trees which will bear this summer from your 

 nurseryman. We have frequent inquiries asking where carp 

 can be bought, and we have replied, "Nowhere.'' It seems, 

 however, that Mr. Geo. Finley, whose advertisement will be 

 foimd in another place, has carp for sale. This hint is enough. 



have a fish left to spawn for himself in a few days after this 

 is published. 



COL. G F. AKERS LEAVES TENNESSEE.— I regret to 

 announce that on last Wednesday, our able and energetic 

 Fish Commissioner, Col. Geo. F. Akers, left Nashville and the 

 State of Tennessee to make Louisville his future home. The 

 Colonel came to Nashville in 1855 from Lynchburg, Virginia. 

 He at once embarked in commercial pursuits, and by close 

 application to his business, aided by an unexceptionally firm 

 mind, he was not long in being recognized as one of the 

 shrewdest and boldest merchants in the city. He commanded 

 the confidence and respect of the community, and m a coui- 

 riu-atively shortwhilebuilt up a trade Which netted him a hand- 

 some fortune. Every new effort or undertaking was crowned 

 with success, and had his big heart been under the same control 

 as his business, and more selfishness belonged to his composition, 

 to-day he would have ranked among the merchant princes of 

 the hind. But this insurmountable obstacle led him to in- 

 dorse for others, which with other complications forced him 

 to give up his business, not because of pecuniary troubles, 

 however, as he owes no one a nickel, and has enough laid by to 

 keep him in affluence the remainder of his days, but envy, 

 passion, and hatred on the part of his persecutors caused them 

 to constantly harass him, until to do business here is no longer 

 feasible, so he goes forth with a character for honesty and 

 business ability to accept a position of high trust in another 

 State, on a salary, so as to sever his ties with a people he 

 loves, and seek peace and quiet elsewhere. Withal the an- 

 noyances and vexations through which he has passed, and the 



natural sadness of quitting the home of his adoption and the 

 friends of a quarter century's duration, he says he will 

 never desert his fondness for "sport, and will yet wet his line 

 many times while following the good old "Izaak," to whom 

 he swore allegiance many years ago, when first enrolled under 

 his banner, as a child. That the State has lost the best com- 

 missioner it ever had, even the Colonel's enemies will admit, 

 for had it not been through him, no one else would ha"ve 

 framed and had passed om- fish protection laws, introduced 

 the carp, or raised the standard of angling to its true consid- 

 eration, from the old modes of fishing simply for food without 

 regard to sriort. Kentuckians will greet, him with open arms 

 and make him feel the change as httle as possible.— J. D. H. 



ghe gmnel. 



FIXTURES. 



BENCH SHOWS. 

 May 9, 10, 11 and 13— Boston, Mass. Third Bench Show of the Massa- 

 chusetts Kennel Club. Unas. Lincoln. Superintendent; E. E. Hardy, 



S.-..p'!:irv f ::|..l:i-i: ' ' ■ 'J . I I i ' . ■ ■ ' . I"' ". ,>:;-, I'/ll' pojloil EnMeS 



close April 22. 



June 6, 7. 8 and 0.— Cleveland, O., First Annual Bench Show of the 

 Cleveland Bench Show Association. Charles Lincoln, Superintendent; 

 C. M. Muuhall. Secretary. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



September— National American Kennel Club Field Trials on Prairie 

 Chickens. Jos. TI. Pr-.v, Col.imlaa. T-er,.. Secretary. 



December 4— National American Kennel Club Field Trials on Quail, 

 Grand Junction, Tenn. D. Brvson. Memphis. Tenii., Secretary. 



DISTEMPER. 



WE have received during the past week several letters 

 from, different sections of the country requesting advice 

 for the treatment of distemper. Below will be found an ex- 

 haustive treatise upon the subject, for which we are indebted 

 to the "Illustrated Book of the Dog," by Vero Shaw: 



treatment of distemper. 



This consists firstly in doing all in our power to guide the 

 specific catarrhal fever to a safe termination; and secondly, 

 in watching for and combating complications. 



The older practitioners used to trust largely to the lancet, to 

 strong purgatives, and to emetics. Knowing, as we. now do, 

 the true pathology of the disorder, we are not likely to follow 

 their example. We have seen that distemper is' really the 

 effects of a specific poison, afloat in the circulation and gen- 

 erating more poison, which Nature does her best to eliminate; 

 and we have seen, too, that the naso-pharyngeai mucous mem- 

 brane is the soil chosen by the poison-seed of distemper 

 whereon to grow and flourish. As, then, the symptoms of 

 catarrh are caused, not by irritation from without, but by 

 irritation from within — by a poisonous vis-a-tergo, it is evident 

 that our efforts must be directed to support Nature, and as- 

 sist her to eliminate the poison. 



What lesson are we. going to learn from the fact that sheep- 

 curs and hardy street dogs get over the distemper with so ht- 

 tle trouble, while, high-bred animals and indoor pets only too 

 often fall victims to the disorder? Surely it is this: that in the 

 former cases Nature has more power to do battle with the 

 poison. And the following is our own experience, and prob- 

 ably the experience of most practitioners: Whenever we get 

 a case of distemper in a hardy constitutioned dog— probably 

 one of no particular breed— we find we can almost invariably 

 bring the dog through it with little or no medicine, by simple 

 nursing and supporting the animal's strength. 



It is, in our opinion, a great mistake to begin the treatment 

 by giving a strong emetic. Emetics are very seldom, if ever, 

 needed. If we think that the dog has need to evacuate the 

 contents of his stomach — which, seeing he has not eaten any- 

 thing signifying for days, perhaps, is highly probable— we- 

 mus't let him out to the grass; he will find his own emetic. 



It is needless to caution the reader against the use of strong 

 purgatives or cathartics, nor against the use of the lancet, or, 

 as a rale, the seton; they are all lowering in their nature, and 

 that is precisely what we want to avoid. 



Let the treatment be simple and rational. Whenever we 

 see. a voung dog ailing, losing appetite, exhibiting catarrhal 

 symptoms," and' getting thin, we should not lose an hour. If 

 he be an indoor dog, find him a good bed in a clean, well- ven- 

 tilated apartment, free from lumber and free from dirt. If it 

 be summer, have ah the windows out or opened; if winter a 

 little fire will be necessary, but have half the window opened 

 at the same time; only take precautions against his lying in a 

 draught, Fresh air in 'cases of distemper, and indeed in fevers 

 of all" kinds, cannot be too highly extolled 



The more rest the dog has the better; he must be kept free 

 from excitement, and care must be taken to guard him against 

 Cold and wet when he goes out-of-doors to obey the. calls of 

 Nature. The most perfect cleanliness must be enjoined, and 

 disinfectants used, either permanganate of potash, carbolic 

 acid, or iodine. If the sick dog. on the other hand, bo one of 

 a kennel of dogs, then quarantine must be adopted. The hos- 

 pital should be quite removed from the vicinity of all other 

 dogs, and as soon as the animal is taken from the, kennel, the 

 latter should be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected, and the 

 other dogs kept warm and dry, well-fed and moderately ex- 

 ercised. 



FOOD AND DRINK IN DISTEMPER. 



Our object is to support the system without deranging the 

 stomach, therefore, for the first three or four days let the 

 food be light and easily digested. In order to induce the 

 animal to take, it, it should be as palatable as possible. For 

 small dogs, milk or cream, eggs, arrow-root, rice, and beef- 

 ter may be given. For larger dogs you cannot have anything 

 better than" oatmeal porridge made with milk instead of 

 water. At all events, the dog must if possible, be ' induced to 

 eat; he must not be "horned" unless there be great emacia- 

 tion; he must not over-eat, but what he gets must be good. 

 If the appetite is quite gone, and he turns up his nose at every- 

 thing, beef-tea, eggs, milk and sherry in small quantities must 

 be frequently administered by the spoon. 



When the dog comes to be very low indeed, brandy must 

 be substituted for the sherry. If, must be diluted with water. 

 and the quantity to be given will depend not only on the size 

 of the dog, but upon the. Iienetits that seem tn accrue from it. 

 As to drinks, dogs usually prefer clean cold water, and we 

 cannot do harm by mixing therewith a little, plain nitre. 



MEDIdNE IN DISTEMPER, 



Begin by giving a simple dose of castor-oil ; just enough and 

 no more than will clear out the bowels by one or two motions. 

 Drastic purgatives and medicines such as mercury, jalap, 

 aloes, and podophvllvn, cannot be too highly condemned 

 the administration of any such, we are merely bleedia 

 patient through the intestinal capillary system. Avoid then. 

 For very small toy-dogs, such as Italian greyhounds. York- 

 shire terriers, etc. ; we should not recommend even oil itself, 

 but manna— one drachm feo two drachms dissolved in milk. 

 By simply getting the bowels to act once or twice, we shall 

 have done enough for the first day, and have only to make 

 the dog comfortable for the mp lit. 

 On the next day begin a mixture such as the following: 



f( Sp Ether m xxx. ad l iij. 



\in. antimonial m hi. ad m 40, 



, Mueilag. tragucanth 3 ij. ad I j I£ 



L ]= thrice daily 



If the cough be verv troublesome, and the fever does not 

 run very high, the following may be substituted for this on the 

 second or third day: 



