230 
— 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
—_— Fe 
fOcr, 46, 1884. 
often of considerable magnitude, For instance, Captain Mar- 
tin mentions the following facts; Karly in November, twelve 
nets in Ipswich Bay caught 12,000 pounds of cod in two nights’ 
fishing, A little laterthe Northern Hagie landed 35,000 pounds 
ot large cod from an eight days’ trip, stocking $800, and each 
of her crew sharing $63. Captain Martin, writing under date 
of Dec. 6, said that during the previous week there were 145,- 
000 pounds of codfish caught in pillnets, and he makes this re- 
mark; “If it were not for the gi 
enongh to eat.” Healso says: “All the vessels that were fish- 
ing with trawls are getting nots.” 
Again on Deo, 22, he states: ‘There were 165,000 pounds of 
codfish caught in gillnets last week.” This, too, was when 
codfish were remarkably scarce upon the shore grounds, and 
when there was only a small ficet of about 25 or 380 vessels en- 
gaged in the net fishery. 
_ The importance of the introduction of the method of catch- 
ing codfish with pillnets was more fully demonstrated than 
eyer before in the winter of 1882~’83, and the operations car- 
ried on during that season in the inshore fisheries may be con- 
sidered as having first fairly established this method of fish- 
ing in New England; since, previous to that time, there had 
been many persons rather skeptical as to the benefits that 
might be derived from the use of nets for catching cod, 
Owing to the almost total failure of the bait supply in the 
latter part of 1882 and the beginning of 1883, it was found im- 
practicable to carry on the shore codfishery by the old method 
of hook-and-line fishing, Sucha scarcity of bait had neyer 
been previously known, andifthe fishermen had been igno- 
rant of the use of gillnets for the capture of cod, a valuable 
and important industry must have been almost abandoned, 
» for thatseason at least, while it may be considered probable 
that the scarcity of fresh cod, which would have resulted, 
must have increased the price in our markets very materially, 
possibly, in some cases, to such an extent as practically to 
place this desirable articla of food beyond the reach of the 
masses, But during the two previous years the New Hneland 
fishermen had learned a great deal about catching codfish in 
nets, not only by practical experience but also from an illus- 
trated pamphlet, containing descriptions of all the methods, 
which had been freely circulated by Professor Baird, The 
fishermen were, therefore, prepared to meet this unforeseen 
emergency—an almost entire absence of bait, Instead of being 
eompelled to give up the shore codfishery, as they otherwise 
must have done, they met with a success which had seldom or 
neyer before been equalled. Such results were obtained by 
the use of sillnets, that the local papers in the fishing ports 
contained frequent notices of successful catches. As an in- 
Stance may be mentioned the following from the Cape Ann 
Aduvertiser, Dec. 8 entitled “The Good Results of Net Cod 
Hishing, On Tuesday, Dev. 4, boat Equal, with two men, took 
5,000 pounds of large codfish In seven nets off shore, sharing 
$40 each, The Rising Star has stocked $1,200 the past fort- 
might fishing in Ipswich Bay, The Morrill Boy has shared 
$101 to a man net-fishing off this shore the past three weeks. 
The Morrill Boy met with unexampled success, her crew 
of five men haying shared $3520 apiece, clear of all expenses, by 
the ee of December, the time employed being less than six 
weeks. 
From the port of Gloucester alone, according to Capt. Mar- 
tin, there were employed in the gillnet codfishery during 
December, 1882, twenty vessels, carrying 124 men and 176 nets, 
In the period between November 19 and the lastiof December, 
600,000 pounds of large shore cod were landed in Gloucester, 
while 150,000 pounds were marketed at Rockport and Ports- 
mouth, making a grand total of 750,000 pounds. When to this 
is added the amount which was probably taken by the vessels 
from other ports, it is perhaps safe to say that no less than 
2,000,000 pounds of this highly valued and most excellent food- 
fish were caught in nets during the month of December and 
the latter part of November. 
In the early part of the winter 1882-3 codfish were taken in 
nets in great abundance on the rocky shoals of Massachusetts 
Bay, After the beginning of January, however, the fish were 
found to be most abundant in Ipswich Bay; and, in con- 
sequence of this. the fieet of shore cod fishermen resorted to that 
locality, where they met with the most remarkable success, 
the catch during the frst month of 1883 being, it is said, much 
larger than at any previous time. According to Captain Mar- 
tin’s report for January, 1883, 121,000 pounds of netted cod 
were landed in Gloucester during the month, Writing to Pro- 
fessor Baird, under date of February 6, he made the statement 
that “ten sail of small vessels which had been fishing in Ips- 
wich Bay, had landed at Rockport, Mass., and Portsmouth, N, 
H., during the previous twenty days, 230,000 pounds of large 
codfish.” Calculating on this basis, the total catch of the 
whole fleet during the month of January, 1883, must have 
been very large, 
It was not, however, until the winter of 1885-4 that the real 
value and importance of the introduction of gillnets into our 
codfisheries could be fully and fairly estimated. The results 
obtained during the winter of 1852-8 had inspired the fisher- 
men with more confidence to engage in the net fishing in the 
suceseding fall. Consequently, we find that the shore fisher- 
men were prosecuting this method of fishing earlier in the sea- 
500 than ever before, even employing it for the capture of 
pollock before the winter school of cod had reached the shore 
zrounds. ‘This method of fishing was found especially well 
adapted for taking the large pollock which generally visit, in 
the fall, the inshore fishing grounds in Massachusetts Bay. The 
singular fact was also discovered that many of the finest pol- 
lock, like the cod, may be taken with nets when they utterly 
refuse to bite a hook, and, consequently, cannot be captured 
by the old methods, 
Writing under date of Oct. 28, 1883, Captain Martin says: 
“Pollock and cod have been scarce this fall. Forty sail of 
small craft, which were out two days on the pollock grounds, 
came in with 2,000 pounds. Captain Gill, of the boat Gracie, 
had four cod nets given him that were worn out m catching 
codfish lash winter, He set them, together with two new 
ones, and the first night he caught 5,500 pounds of pollock and 
400 pounds of codfish. The pollock averaged 21}g pounds 
apiece, while those caught on hand lines averaged 15 pounds 
apiece. * * * There are three boats which have nets set. 
They cateh three times as much pollock snd three times as 
much codfish asthey do on hand-lines, There will be more 
cod gillnets used this winter than there have been since they 
began to usethem, * * * There arenosperling this fall, 
so that the most of the boats will use nets.” Under date of 
Get. 31, 1853, he gives the following statement, which shows 
in a most striking manner the advantages that are sometimes 
derived from the use of gillnets, and, at the same time, affords 
ua an insight into the way in which the fishermen are often 
induced to adopt this method of fishing: ‘The schooner 8. W. 
Graig, of Portland, one of the high-line pollock catchers,” says 
Captain Martin, ‘‘wasin herelast Wednesday. I went aboard 
+o see the skipper and to gain what information I could con- 
cerning the pollock fishery. Theconversationranthus: ‘How 
do you find the pollock, Captain? ‘Pollock! there ain’t none. 
Lhave been out two days withtwelve men and got 2,000 
pounds—thiat 15 bad enough.’ Isaid: “They are catching a 
ood many pollock in nets, Do you see that small boat com- 
ing? That is Horace Wiley’s; he caught 8,000 pounds the 
night before last, and caught as many last night. He has got 
nets.’ ‘Where does he catch them? ‘Off onaspot of rocks 
called Brown’s.’ The Captain said: ‘I will get some new 
sperling to-night, and go oft where they have got their nets 
set. We will give them tits, if we can get some sperling,’ I 
answered: ‘Cap., itis no use to go where they have got their 
nets set. If you do you will get no fish.’ Hereplied: ‘That 
be hanged fora yarn. I think you can catch fish with sper- 
ling aS well as you.can with nets.’ Lsaid; ‘No, six, you can’t 
0 iv. 
“The next day he went out with some new sperling to where 
Inets we could not get fish | 
Wiley was hauling his nets, [The latter had picked out a dory 
full of cod and pollock, about 2,000 pounds.] He let go his 
anchor close to the nets and gave the order, ‘All hands over 
lines.” He lay there two hours, but did not catch a fish. ‘ 
“IT was aboard again yesterday, and said: ‘Captain, how did 
they bite where the nets were? ‘That beat all,’ he replied; 
‘we hever felt a bite. Lam going to Boston to order twenty- 
five nets.’” 
The boat Gracie, which began fishing with nets the middle 
of October, did remarkably well; her crew made $145 apiece 
upto Nov. 11, According to Captain Martin she had landed 
15,000 pounds of Jarge cod and 30,000 pounds of large pollock, 
and he writes: ‘Some of the line fishermen haye not caught 
as much as 10,000 pounds in the same time, * * * All the 
shore fishing will be done with nets this winter, as the sperling 
are scarce.” This success had the effect to induce others to 
engage in this fishery, and at the date just given (Noy. 11) 
there were ten boats using nets, Hach one was provided 
with fifteen nets, each 50 fathoms long, 214 fathoms deep, with 
a 99-inch mesh. 
The first vessel to go to Tpewich Bay began fisting there 
early in November, and on her first trip, with only five nets, 
she caught 6,000 pounds, By Nov. 18, there were 26 boats set- 
ting 590 nets in Massachusetts Bay. This would make 89,000 
yards of netting. Besides this there were two or three vessels 
in Ipswich Bay, and the schooner Onward, which left Glou- 
cester that day to go round the cape, had a gang of 35 nets, 
The little schooner Morrill Boy, previously alluded to, set her 
nets for the first time on the Sunday preceding Noy, 18, and at 
the last mentioned date she had landed 43,000 pounds of cod 
and pollock, stocking $1,066.75 There were seven men in the 
crew, who shared $124 for their week’s work, and this, too, 
when two days of the time were lost on account of high winds. 
On one day (Wednesday) they made $50to amam At the 
same time bait was so scarce and difficult to obtain that the 
hook and line fishermen could do almost nothing, Sperling, 
when obtainable at all, brought the high price of fifty cents a 
bucketful, which was a very heavy tax on the cod fishermen, 
On the six days ending Noy. 25, 487,000 pounds of cod and 
pollock were taken in gillnets set in, Massachusetts Bay, and 
during the samé time four small pillnetting vessels caught 
55,000 pounds of fish in IpswidlWpy. Writing under the 
last-mentioned date, Capt. Martin, that “about all the fish 
caught inshore is by nets, and he also remarks that ‘‘if they 
could be knit fast enough the whole fleet would have nets.” 
So urgent was the demand for cod nets at that time that 
many of the women at Gloucester were employed in making 
them, Capt, Martin tells us that “everybody is at work,” and 
he continues: ‘‘A great winter’s work is anticipated.” By 
the latter part of November the fleet of netters had increased 
to thirty-five vessels, and itis probable that a larger number 
might have been engaged in this fishery at that date if they 
could have obtained gear, The fishermen were often bothered 
to get nets, and on one occasionseveral boats had to wait four 
days to get a supply of glass floats, which are so essential in 
this fishery. By the last-of January the fleet numbered fifty- 
two vessels, which appears to be the maximum, for about the 
middle of March only forty-two schooners were engaged in 
netting, a few of the boats having probably worn out their 
nets, and not caring to refit so late in the season, left shore 
fishing to go to the onter banks, or else, perhaps, to fit out for 
the spring mackerel fishery. In addition to the vessels a few 
open boats engaged in the gilinet codfishery last winter, and. 
AS saa as December, according to Capt. Martin, five dories 
were thus employed from Salisbury, each having three nets. 
The gillnet fishery has not been exempt from loss of gear 
though, perhaps, this loss is much less than it would be if 
trawls only were used. Ina gale that occurred Jan, 4, 1884, 
considerable property was destroyed or injured. Captain 
Martin reports that t -five nets were lost and many others 
badly damaged. “No fish,” he says, ‘were caught for four 
days after the storm.” Curiously enough, the fishermen say 
that they neyer get many fish just previous to a heayy storm, 
and the netters have learned by experience that a sudden 
falling off in the cateh is generally an indication of the near 
approach of bad weather. Another feature of the net fishing 
is that, in addition to various species of the Gadide which 
have been taken, porpoises (locally called ‘‘puffers”), monkfish 
or fishing frogs, and doefish (Squalus) have been caught, 
though, fortunately, the latter, which are considered especi- 
ally obnoxious by net fishermen, are not on the coast during 
the coldest weather. 
fn addition to the instances already given of catches made 
last winter, the following have been recorded: For the week 
ending Dee, 9, 1883, there were landed at Gloucester 590,000 
pounds of netted fish, while 84,000 pounds were marketed at 
the two ports of Hog perk and Portsmouth, the week’s catch 
amounting to the total of 674,000 pounds. The following week 
Gloucester received 430,000 pounds, Rockport and Portsmouth 
a total of 81,000, and Swampscott 45,000, making a total of 
559,000 pounds. This large amount was taken, too, when the 
weather was so unfavorable that nothing could be done for 
three nights and days of the week. For the week ending 
March 28, 1884, 530,000 pounds of cod that had been caught in 
gillnets were landed. For the week ending March 30, 1884, 
18 vessels landed 483,000 pounds. The following statement of 
the total amount of fish captured by the use of gillnets during 
the past winter has been compiled for me by Mr, C, W. Smiley 
from the notes of Captain Martin, who has made it a special 
object to collect all possible statistics and information, 
relative to this important branch of the fisheries. 
TOTAL AMOUNT OF FISH LANDED FROM GILLNETS FROM OcTO- 
BER, 1883, TO APRIL, 1884, INCLUSIVE. 
ih Cod, |Pollock)/Hadd’k| Hake, | Cusk, | Grand 
Month, Pounds, |Pounds|/Pounds|Pounds|Pounds| Total. 
October, 1883.... 35.500 | 578,000 | 45,000} 86,000} 80,000 719,500 
November, 1883..| 1,275,500 | 185,000 | 249,000.) 20,800 9,000 | 1,785,800 
December. 1883. .| 1,373,000 3,900 | 264,000 15,000 | 1,665,000 
January, 1884,,,.| 932,000 40,000 972,000 
February, 1884..) 928,000 75,000 998,000 
March, 1884,..... 1,248,000 1,248,000 
April, 1883....... 705,000 705,000 
May teh Aas 6,492,000 | 761,000 | 678,000 | 58,800} 54,000 | 6,036,300 
An important matter for consideration in connection with 
the cod gillnet fishery, is that not only can fishing be success- 
fully carried on even when bait is not obtainable (for of course 
no bait is required when nets are used), but there is a very 
preat saving of money and time that must be expended in 
procuring the bait and baiting the lines when hook and line 
fishing is followed. As aniustance of the expense involved, 
it may be stated that the average bait bill of a shore trawler 
is not, under ordinary circumstances, less than from $150 to 
$250 per month, when herring are as high as cen ustially are 
in winter. It is, therefore, safe to estimate that when as 
many vessels are employed in gillnetting as there has been 
during the past two winters, the money saved to the fisher- 
men, which otherwise must have been paid for bait, could 
not be less than from $80,000 to $70,000 each season. Be- 
sides this, a very large percentage of the time is saved, as 
has been stated, that otherwise must have been lost in seeking 
for bait. 
In pursuing the cod gillnet fishery, fishermen have been to 
some extent handicapped by the rotting of their nets, and m 
some cases—more especially in the fall, when the waters are 
filled with animal life—the nets have decayed very rapidly, 80 
that they have been found quite unfitted for use after being in 
the water for five or six weeks, While at Gloucester last fall 
Thad this matter brought to my attention by fishermen, who, 
were anxious to obtain some preservative which would pre- 
yent their nets from rotting. I addressed a letter to Prof. 
Baird on the subject, and the result was that, the matter hay- 
ing been brought to the notice of Messrs, Horner & Hyde, of 
Baltimore, by Major T, B. Ferguson, Deputy United States 
Fish Commissioner, those gentlemen forwarded to Gloucester 
a barrel of their net preservative for the purpose of having 
its merits tested on the cod villnets, It was applied to a por- 
tion of the nets of several small vessels in January last, and 
alter the apparatus had been in use from that time to the 
middle of April sections of the net so prepared were forwarded 
tome at Washington, together with a statement by Capt. 
Martin as to what the fishermen said regarding its use. Pre- 
vious to this, howeyer, I had talked with some of the fisher- 
men concerning the nets treated with Horner & Hyde’s pre- 
servative, and they asserted very positively that not only did 
it prevent the nets from rotting, but that they were fully im- 
pressed with the idea that a great many more fish were 
caught in nets so treated than in others prepared in the ordi- 
nary way. The sample of netting sent me by Capt. Martin 
shows little sign of deterioration, notwithstanding the fact 
that the net from which it was taken had been in constant use 
for upward of three months, 
Whether future trials of this material will sustain the state- 
ments made by the fishermen who have alreudy experimented 
with it, Tam unable to say; but, if such should be the case, 
there can be no question but that a very important step has 
been attained through the efforts of the Commission in per- 
fecting the work of cod gillmetting, which it commenced im 
American waters five years ago.* 
*1t is, perhaps, proper to state here that some of the North Carolina 
fishermen who have tried Horner and Hyde’s treatment on their nets, 
have complained most bitterly that their gear was much injured if 
not almost ruined by it, I have seen copies of two letters from fish- 
ermen of the South containing such complaints. This being the case, 
it will, perhaps, require 4 lenger test to settle definitely whether or 
not this treaiment has all the merit that the Gloucester fishermen 
say it has, though itis altogether possible—the conditions being 85 
very different—that what might give excellent satisfaction when 
properly applied and used im the ocean fisheries might prove a failure 
under other conditions. 
In this connection it may be well to say that last winter nets cost 
$14.25 a piece, and that glass floats could not be obtained cheaper 
than twenty-two cents each. It will therefore be seen that a “set of 
gear” for a vessel carrying thirty to thirty-five nets costs a consider- 
able sum, and if these had to be renewed every few weeks it was a 
material drawback to the prosperity of the fishery, 
Che Zennel, 
FIXTURES. 
BENCH SHOWS. 
Oct. 16, 17 and 18.—National Breeders’ Show, Industrial Art Wall, 
Philadelphia, Pa. James Watson, Secretary, P,Q, Box 7/0, Wntries 
close Oct, 10. 
Oct, 21, 22, 23 and 24.—First Annual Fall Bench Show of the West- 
minster Kennel Club, Madison Square Garden, New York. Mntries 
close Oct. 6. Mr. Chas. Lincoln, Supermtendent, 
Dec. 16, 17, 18 and 19—Third Bench Show of the Southern Massa- 
ehusetts Poultry Association, Taumton, Mass. Wm. C. Dayenport, 
Assistant Secretary. 
Jan. 10 to 14, 1885,—World’s Exposition Bench Show, New Orleans, 
La. Mr. Chas. Lincoln. Superintendent. ; 
March 8, 4, 5 and 6, 1885.—Second Aunual Bench Show of the Cin- 
cinnati Sportsman's Club, Cincinnati, O, Charles Lincoln, Superio- 
tendent. 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Noy. —.—Third Annual Trials of the Robins Island Club, Robins 
Island, L.I. Open to members only, Mr, A, IT. Plummer, Secretary 
Nov. 17.—Sixth Annual Trials of the Eastern Field Trials Club, at 
Hich Pomt, N. GC. W. A, Coster, Secretary, Flatbush, L. 1. 
Novy. 17.—Virst Annual Trials of the Fisher's Island Olub, Fishers 
Island, N.Y. Opento members only. Mr. Max Wenzel, Secretary, 
Hoboken, N. J. . j ‘4 
Dee, 2._Second Annual Trials of the Pacific Coast Wield Trials 
Club at Walltown Timber, Cal. N, E. White, Secretary, Sacramento, 
Cal, 
Dec. § —Sixth annual Trials of the National American Kennel lw 
at Canton, Miss. D. Bryson, Seeretary, Memphis, Tenn. ; 
Dec. 15._Southern Sportsmen’s Association Trials, Canton, Miss. 
Mr. T, K, Renaud, Secretary, New Orleans, La. 
A. K. R. 
HE AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTHR, for the registration of 
pedigrees, etc. (with prize lists of all Shows and trials), 1s pub- 
lished every month, Hntriesclose on the Ist. Should be in early. 
Entry blanks sent on receipt of stamped and addressed envelope. 
Registration fee (25 cents) must accompany each entry. No entries 
jnserted unless paid in advance. Yearly subscription $1, Address 
“American Kennel Register,” P. O, Box 2832, New York. Number 
of entries already printed 1644, Volume T., bound in cloth, sent 
postpaid, $1.50. 
MODERN JOURNALISM. 
GG MAN hag an unquestionable right to recognize the character 
A of his own efforts, and to expect that they will he repaid in 
proportion to what they have cost him. There is no egotism and no 
presumption in this. Itis sinmply a matter of proper appreciation 
and of simple justice, founded upon natural law which decrees that 
results shall follow causes, ’—Tite Sportsman’s (“Independent”) Jawr- 
nal, Sept. 18, 1884. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
My last letter to your paper has crawn out two columns 
more of personal abuse and wilful misrepresentation from 
the editor of your Western contemporary, the sportsman’s 
journal, whose reputation for dodging 1s so well known. 
nowing the character I had in hand, and being fully 
aware of his ability to wriggle through the smallest 
loop hole, when brought face to face with his trickery and 
cortupt acts, Iwas careful to coniine my remarks to state- 
ments in hisown paper and from hisown pen. True to his 
record, he has, after a fortnight’s rest (being as usual “crowded 
out” during that time), concocted several malicious and de- 
liberate falsehoods concerning niyself, and because I did not 
encroach upon your valuable space, to the extent of quoting 
all the flattermg allusions to me in his “independent” 
paper, he accuses me of “manipulating,” At the 
same time he virtually admits the exposure of his 
trickery, and proves the foundation of his paper to be 
disreputable and corrupt, and theretore unworthy the sup- 
port of respectable people, I have always arguec that no 
matter how a paper is conducted, if its pangee is dishonor- 
able and stands charged with offenses of a corrupt nature, it 
shouid not be permitted to pass the threshold of any respect- 
able dwelling, much less should it ever be allowed wit tin the 
reach of a man’s family. A rotten foundation invariably 
means a shaky, and finally a falling house. By the samesense 
of argument, what a man allows his children to peruse must 
he expect to be grafted to their memory, and reap good or bad 
results in the futmre. It is, Mr, Hditor, to your indepen- 
dent columns, and those of that excellent monthly, the 
Kennel Register, that all_good dog lovers look for 
reform of present abuses, Unless independent and fearless 
papers bestir themselves the inevitable must come, which 
means that the appearance of our dogs will be ruined and our 
dog shows and field trials will be run in the interest of a small 
but unscrupulous “ring.” I have done my share during the 
last six months to expose the ‘‘dirty work,” and the mere fact 
that my position is now stronger than ib ever was before 
roves the weakness of a case which has had the support of 
teen columns of editorial slander and malicious abuse, never 
to speak of a score or more of aponymoys letters, most if not 
i 
