2B0 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct, 23, 1885. 



what over three bushels of oyster shetts as cultch. The two 

 cross-pieces which project beyond the vertical pieces will sup- 

 port the receptacle with the shells whicb it contains. One of 

 these is allowed to every running foot of canal, the receptacles 

 being- pkiced sijc iiichHS apart. A i^ond forty feet square and 

 acconiMiodatin,a' a hundred bushels of spawning oysterSj,--wiIl 

 supply euiiUKh f I'v foi- a canal 400 feet long and holding 1,200 

 bushels of sllells as 'niltch in lOO receptacles. The latter will 

 cost k7'0 per hiuidred, or $2m for 400 feet of trench, One 

 bushel of oysters will yield about one billion of fry. The 

 pond with its hundred biisLcls of spawning adults will, there- 

 fore, yield about 101 1 bill iuDS of fry. Tnis vast multitude of 

 oyster brood will be v/af red back and foith through the col- 

 lectors l)v tlje tid(;s tliio times during the spatting season, 

 which la.ks for ninetv dav s. That is, 100 bilhons of try will be 

 wafted tbrough l.'joo busLels of shells 360 times during 

 the season. These shells can be kept clean by vi- 

 brating the receptacles on the ledges which support 

 them. It will thus he seen that on oue-tenth of an 

 of an acre I can place as luiieh cultch as could ordinarily be 

 placed on four acres. Or, liy my method, on one acre I can 

 put down as many shells as coiild bo put on forty acres by 

 those who simply sow the shells ; that is to say, the business 

 of getting "sets" for seed can be condensed so as to cover only 

 one-fortieth of the ground now covei-ed. 



The plan as set forth above is not foimded merely on a 

 specious hypothesis, but is justified in detail by the facts ob- 

 served by myself in the coui-se of the experiments instituted 

 by me during the period covered, as already stated and under 

 the auspices of the IT. S. FLsh Commission. In nature the 

 theory is also abundantly verified, as at Fortress Monroe, 

 Wood's HoU, and Cohasset for example. The fullest justifica- 

 tion of the couclusions above presented is also given by the 

 more recent results at St. Jerome's Creek, as well as by the 

 results of experiinems instituted by Blackford and Mather. 

 The details are, however, given at length in an illusti'ated 

 article of mine, now ready for publication by the U. S. Fish 

 Commission, and entitled: "An Exposition of the Principles of 

 aEational System of Oyster Culttire, together with an ac- 

 count of a uBAv and riractical method of obtahiing oyster spat 

 on a scale of cnmixn^Tcial importance." 



Thousands of acres of the flat, marshy laud skii-tiug the 

 Chesapeake iua\ now be converted into estabMshments for the 

 caltm-e of oyster spat oi- seed oysters, to be afterward sown on 

 the open beds and allowed to grow to a marketable size. The 

 futiire of the oystei- iudustry in the South is henceforth as- 

 sm-ed, all that has been needed is the adoption of a rational, 

 economical method of spat culture, such as the one here pro- 

 prosed. This s^-stem of plant, if adopted, will pay for itself 

 m fifteen months in its yield of seed oysters alone. This ought 

 to be sufficiently encouraging to the most conservative oyster- 

 men, whom it is proposed to'convhace of the feasibility of the 

 new system whethei' they now choose to beheve it or not. 



I may fitly close this brief notice of the new method by an 

 exti act from the concluding part of my forthcoming paper, 

 ah-eady alluded To: 'It has been found that even the sowing 

 of shells is fii-olital-ile, as has been conclusivety demonstrated; 

 and in one type of tidture, namelj^, that which is practiced in 

 deep water," it is probable that it is the only practicable 

 method which will be devised for a long time to come. While 

 that system is, to a great extent, vvastefid and at times uncer- 

 tain, for the piesent, at least, there seems to be no other which 

 can be as economically and successfully operated over large 

 navigable areas. Large areas operated by one individiial oi- 

 corporation cannot, bowevei', always be'couti'olled, or only 

 exceptionally, uuder the existing laws of Maryland and Vir- 

 gmia. In those States, however, where it is possible to com- 

 mand the right to naiural areas of water wMch are more or 

 less nearly laudiocked, the system of merely sowing shells 

 would be positiv ei , wasteful and not in conformity with the 

 results attain!d ,)e uuder the guidance of the proper knowledge. 

 It_is found in tht- practice of shell solving that extensive areas 

 will sometime!., fail to produce any spat. This is apparently 

 due to the preseucL- of curi'ents, which have swept the swim- 

 mmg fry ulY of the beds, or to the presence of sediment, which 

 has put an end to the lir.st istages of the fixed career of the 

 youngest spat. Even after the spat is caught great destruc- 

 tion nja\' ocmu- through the iijroads of starfishes, or a too rapid 

 multiplication of worm tu^je.s, biult by tubicolous annelids 

 over the cult.'ii aud spat. The latter is sometimes smothered 

 in vast nuiuberp-: f rom the last-meutioued cause, as has been 

 recently discovered by Mi-, Rowe. Such casualties are ren- 

 dered either impossible or readily observable during then- 

 early stages by the use of the method of inclosing the cultch 

 in suspended receptacles, as suggested in this paper. The 

 wn-e netting wUl effectually protect the young spat against 

 the attacks of large starfishes, and no growth of barnacles, 

 tunicates, worm tubes or sponges would be rapid enough dur- 

 ing the spatting period, judging from an experience extending 

 over several seasons, to seriously impair the usefulness of the 

 cultch used in the suspended receptacles. * * * 



"The maximum efliciency of the cultchisnot realized in any 

 of the old forms of collectors, for the reason that the cultch 

 ca,nnot be kept clean. Secondly, because both sides of the 

 culth cannot be exposed to the passing fry. Thirdly, because 

 the fry cannot be compelled to pass over and amongthe cultch 

 repeatedly. Fourthly, because the cultch is scattered over 

 too great an area, and throughout only one dimension of a 

 body of water, namely its horizontal extent, whereas it is 

 possible, as I have shown above, to do far more ; that is to 

 avail ourseh esof the possibility of obtaining spat through- 

 out the three dimensions of a body of water charged with 

 embryo oysters m the veUger condition. There are good and 

 sufficient reasons for my assertion that cultch has hitherto 

 been wastetully and unseientificalLv apphed. With this I 

 must conclude this exposition of the principles of a rational 

 theory of oyster culture, a subject which has received the at- 

 tention of many investigators, none of whom have, however 

 atrack at the root of the question and allowed themselves to 

 be guided by obvious and readil v verifiable facts. In the hope 

 that I have made both the theory and practice of my new 

 method clear to the reader, who, if he should happen to' be an 

 oysterman will, I hope, at least give me the credit of beiug 

 honest ;ind sincere in my intentions, and whether he feels 

 mcimed to ridicule or to adopt my conclusions. I feel very 

 certain that what I have formulated in the preceding pa^'-es 

 will become t he recognized doctrine and practice of the ftiture." 



John A. Rtder. 



CARP FOR OHIO.— The annual distribution of German 

 carp, under the supervision of the Illinois State Pish Commis- 

 sion, wiU commence about November 1 to 15. All who have 

 ponds prepared for their culture and desire fish should make 

 apphcation at once. Each applicant wQl receive twenty carp 

 Applications should be in writing, stating location of pond 

 area and average depth of water and whether free from other 

 or not, giving nearest express office and name of post- 

 oftice. Applications should have the indorsement of a member 

 of the general assembly. Applications will be filed, entered and 

 numbered as received and fish shipped in same order. All 

 applicants will be notified in advance of shipment. Applica- 

 tion can be made to either of the commissioners- K K 

 Fairbank, President, Chicago; S. P. Bartlett, Secretary" 

 Qumcy; Maj. Geo. Bretming, Centraha. ' 



LIVE SOLES m NEW YORK.-Capt. Hamilton Perry, 

 of the White Star steamer Britannic, arrived in New York on 

 Monday last with nine hve soles for Mi-. E. G. Blackford, sent 

 by Mr. Thomas J. Moore, of the Liverpool Museum. They 

 were brought in the hanging globes known as "Mortuner's 

 Ship Aquaria," and aiTived in good order. The fish are of the 

 size of a man's hand, and Mr. Blackford has offered them to 

 Prof. S. P. 1 lau-d. United States Commissioner of Fisheries, to 

 be disposed of as he thinks proper, 



MR. SILK AND NEW JERSEY BASS.— Mr, W. T. Silk, the 

 pisciculturist, who came to this country from England about a 

 month ago for the purpose of securing a large number of black 

 bass for stocking puriioses in Great Britain, is having a hard 

 time of It. During a previous visit Mr. Silk and Fish Com- 

 missioner Blackfoi-d had a fiare-up because the bass Mr. Silk 

 had collected to take home were netted in Greenwood Lake. 

 Prior to Ma-. Silk's coming this year he arranged with certain 

 Greenwood lake fishermen to catch for him about two thou- 

 sand bass. Anticipating ti-ouble if the fish were taken from 

 the lake, the fishermen decided to catch the bass in Lake 

 Wawayanda, a beautiful sheet of water on the crest of BeUe- 

 vale Mountain, which is about eight miles to the westward of 

 Green wood Lake. Many fish were caught, ostensibly by hook 

 and line. They were to be sent to New York on September 

 -oO, for Mr. Silk had arranged to return home by the White 

 Stai' steamer Adriatic. The three tanks he brought over with 

 him were put on board and fiUed with water for the re- 

 ception of the fish. Just before the steamer was to sail Mr. 

 Silk learned that the parties who had contracted to furnish 

 the bass had become frightened and returned the fish to the 

 lake. It has now leaked out that this was done because the 

 fishermen found they were watched by persons in the employ 

 of the New York State Fish Commission. Commissione'r 

 Blackford, it is said, has announced that no bass taken in 

 New York State shall leave this city in Mr. Silk's charge, ex- 

 cept those that it can be proved were taken in a legitmate 

 way— that i.s, by hook and hue. ;Mr. Silk is in great trouble^ 

 andhistanks, branded with the Marquis of Exeter's name and 

 address, aren(3w heaped up on the White Star dock. Mr. Silk 

 says he has no de.sire to break the law, but that he feels that 

 he should be permitted to carry to England such fish as are 

 caught legally. Professor Baird of the United States Pish 

 Commission, having heard of the trouble, sent Mr. Silk this 

 week i!.50 small black bass from the LTnited States Hatcheiy 

 at Wytheville, Va. The fish arrived in good order, and are 

 now on Long Island awaiting the departure of Mr. SUk 

 for home. These fish are a present from the United States to 

 the Marquis of Exeter.— A'. Y. Herald. The cause of Mr. Silk's 

 troubles was the Passaic County Fish and Game Protective 

 Association. The secretary of this association some ten days 

 ago received information tliat Mr. Silk was endeavoring to get 

 hold of a lot of fish from Greenwood Lake, and remembering 

 the dishonorable and unsportsmanlike manner in which Mr, 

 Silk got his fish a year ago, steps were at once taken to prevent 

 him from caiTying out his project of netting Greenwood Lake. 

 Through the efforts of the association it was learned that Mr. 

 Silk had paid Warren Aldrich, who lives at the upper end of 

 Greenwood Lake, one hundred doUars to get him a lot of bass. 

 Mr. Aldi-ich evidently had an offer of better pay, for he notified 

 the guides and natives about the lake that he would pay five 

 cents each for black bass and that he woidd take ten thou- 

 sand of them. Netting in Greenwood Lake is diflficult in the 

 New Jersey portion of the lake, and as Mr, Aldrich also lived 

 by the New Yo;-k part of the lake the secretary of the associ- 

 ation communicated with Mr. Eugene Blackford, the N, Y, 

 State Fish Commissioner. This gentleman promptly respond- 

 ed and sent Mr. J. H. Godwin, Jr., of Kingsbridge, one of the 

 New York fish protectors, to the lake. Mr. Godwin worked 

 in concert with the association and it was ascertained that Mi-. 

 Sdk also expected to get a lot of bass from Wawayanda Lake 

 and that arrangements to this effect were carried out. Some 

 bass were caught in Greenwood Lake, but the business was de- 

 tected in time to prevent their shipment, despite Mr. Silk's 

 hurried orders to send them to New York. Mr. Silk worked 

 very quietly, even going so far as not to sign his name to com- 

 munications he sent to Mr. Aldrich, but he was not qmet 

 enough about it and consequently his project failed. Had it 

 not been for the Passaic County Pish and Game Pi-otective 

 A-ssociation, Greenwood Lake would have lost a large number 

 of bass.— Pa/f /'SOW (JST. J.) Press, Oct. 13. 



THE NEW YORK FISH COMMISSION met yesterday and 

 appropriated §20,000 for the ensuing fiscal year. The president 

 was directed to send to Oregon for some specimens of the 

 valuable trout known as the Salmo purpuratus with which 

 the different streams of New York State may be stocked. Mr. 

 Blackford was authorized to communicate -with the German 

 Fisheries Commission with a view to effecting an exchange of 

 eggs of the German browm trout for eggs of our rainbow trout. 

 Commissioner Sherman reported that the Adirondack fishery 

 is now completed and the emplo^^ees are engaged in obtaining 

 spawn for the purpose of stocking. 



CARP FERTILITY.— The Newark (7aZi reports: "A carp 

 pond at Moorestown, belonging to Samuel K. Wilkins. treas- 

 urer of the American Carp Cultural Association, M^as drawTi 

 off on Monday and found to contain over a million small carp. 

 They are the progeny of thirteen fish that are now three years 

 old, and measm-e over two feet in length. The young fish 

 (three weeks old) measure about an inch iu length." 



All lovei'S of nature ^vill thank Mr. George A. Musgrave for 

 his protest to a London paper against the wicked cruelty by 

 which millions of bright plumaged birds are so ruthlessly 

 sacrificed to fashionable whim and caprice. "In April," says 

 Mr. Musgrave, "I went to an auction loom, and, after looking 

 at the bodies of hundreds of bii-ds, ascertAtned that l)etween 

 December, 1884, and April, 188,5, there had been sold 0,8-28 birds 

 of paradise, 4,9^74 Impeyan pheasants, 770 so-called Argus, 

 404,464 West Indian and Brazilian birds, and 3.56.389 East Indian 

 bii'ds of various kinds. Leaving the city, I went to another 

 district, and there saw the birds being mounted for the 

 milliners, upholsterei-s, and dealers in fancy articles. Pursuing 

 the birds stiU fm thei-, I traced the breast of a Lophojihoriis 

 impeyanus to a servant's Sunday hat, and some humming- 

 birds and a kingfisher to a shop in a popvdar watering-place, 

 where cabinet photograph frames were adonied with three 

 bu-ds and a dead kitten. At first I was'inchned to beheve that, 

 in spite of the numbers of bu-ds sold, the demand for them 

 was confined to people whose taste was gratified bv a vulgar 

 display of what had the appearance of costliness," In this be- 

 lief, however, he found himself mistaken. Just now there is. 

 it seems, a craze for yellow, and Mr. Musgrave tells us how he 

 heard of an order being given by a yoimg English lady for a 

 dress to be trimmed with canaries. We are human, but this 

 young lady deserves to be pecked to death by sharp-beaked 

 birds. "Fortunately, before the order was carried out, she, 

 being capricious, changed her mind, so only eight little birds 

 were sacrificed to the prevailing craze for yellow." 



A familiar Parisian feature is hkely soon to disappear— the 

 toy cannon in the Palais Boyal, fired daily bj^ the sun at noon 

 ever since 1788. The tiny piece is the delight of the French 

 b^es and their nurses, while even many sober elders set their 

 watches by the daily report. 



POINTS WORTH CONSIDERING. 



1. Because of the compact style of its typography the Forest and 

 Stream actually contains, -weekly, more reading matter pertaining to 

 its chosen field than is found in any similar publication in the world. 



-3. In general excellence the reading coliunns of the Forest and 

 Stream are of a higher grade than those of any similar publication in 

 the world. 



3. Taking into account the amount and the character of weekly 

 readuig giveD, the Fokest ahd Stream is away ahead of any similar 

 publication in the world. 



4. If a sportsman wishes a sportsman's paper, he will be better 

 suited by the Forest and Stream than by any similar publication in 

 the world, 



imnel 



Address all communications to the Forest and Utream Publish' 

 ing Co. 



FIXTURES. 



BFNCH SHOWS. 

 Dec. 1.5. 16. 17 and 18,— First Annual Dok Show of the Western Con- 

 necticut Poultry, Pigeon and Pet Stock Association. Frank D. Hal 

 let, Superintendent, Winsted, Conn. 



AprU 6, 7, 8 aad 9, 1886.— Second Annual Dog Show of the New Eng- 

 land Kennel Club. Jean Grosvenor, Secretar.y, Boston, Mass. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



Nov 9.— Second Annual Field Trials of the Fisher's Island Club, for 

 members only. Max Wenzel. Secretary. Hoboken, N. J. 



Nov. 9.— First Annual Ti-ials of the Western Field Trials Associa- 

 tion, at Abilene, Kan. Entries close Oct. 1.5. A. A, Whipple, Secre- 

 tary, Kansas City, Mo. 



-Nov. 13-— New Jersey Kennel and Field Trials Club. Field trials for 

 uiembei-s only at Fisher's Island. A. P. Vredenburgh, Secretary, 

 J3ereen Point, N. J. 



Nov, 16. 1885.-Seventh Annual Field Trials of the Eastern Field 

 Trials Club, High Pomt, N. C. Entries for All-Aged Stakes close 

 Nov. 1. W. A. Coster, Secretary. Flatbush, L. I. 



Novembpr.— Fourth Annual Trials of the Robins Island Club, Rohins 

 Island, li. I., for members only. Wm. H, Force, Secretary. 



Dec. 7.- Seventh Annual Field Trials of the National Field Trials / 

 Club, Grand Junction, Tenn. Entries for Derby close April 1. B, M. 

 Stephenson, T.,a Grange, Tenn., Secretary. 



A. K. R.-SPECIAL NOTICE. 



rpHE AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER, for the registration of 

 pedigrees, etc. (with prize lists of all shows and trials), is pub" 

 ished every month. Entries close on the 1st. Should be in early. 

 Entry blanks sent on receipt of stamped and addressed envelope. 

 Registration fee (50 cents) must accompany each entry. No entries 

 in.sei-ted unless paid in advance. Yearly subscription f 1.50. Address 

 "American Kennel Register," P. O, Box 8882, New York. Number 

 of entries already printed 2794. 



ABOUT COCKER SPANIELS. 



Editor Forest and Strmm: 



The more I read and hear aboiit cocker spaniels the more I 

 get "mixed" concerning them, i have talked with men who 

 have judged them, men who have bred them, and have tried 

 to understand the "Senex" papers on the subject, with the 

 same result, am mixed, very mixed. 



I have carefully studied the two standards, and it seems to 

 me that the I. C. S. Association standard is a copy, almost 

 word for woid, of the A. C. S. standard. The only difference 

 of any account that I can perceive is in the weight. T have 

 bred cockers (and now own twelve) and expect to breed many 

 more of them, and therefore I would like to have the matter 

 straightened out as it were. So I have a suggestion to submit 

 that may make "Senex" positively howl with rage and cry 

 aloud for protection to the dear little cockere of his boyhood 

 days. Before I make my suggestion I want to ask a conun- 

 drum, which I would be glad to have answered by a repre- 

 sentative cocker man through your columns. We will suppose 

 a cocker, weight say about 26^4 pounds, wins several prizes, 

 and finally wins in champion class a few times. After a while 

 a competitor comes fi-om the open class and "downs him" and 

 with a likelihood of repeating the process show after show. By 

 feeding the first mentioned dog up to say 2Sy; pounds, can he 

 or she be entered in the field spaniel open class and commence 

 to scale the ladder again? I cannot see what there is to pre- 

 vent it. The dog is not a cocker because he is over 28 pounds, 

 but he must be something. Because a poor little spaniel gets 

 a little obese, as his friend man is apt to do, is it right that he 

 should be completely wiped out of his status in dog society by 

 a cast-iron rule that says to him, ' 'If you dare to get over 28 

 poimds you are no longer a cocker but a wretched— nothing?" 

 No such ridiculous rule applies to any other breed of dog, and 

 why should the so-called cocker be treated any different? A 

 pointer may be under the .50 pounds Umit, but if he grows a 

 little stouter he is still a pointer and can be shoyvn in the class 

 over ,50 pounds I suppose, anyway he is still a pointer, isn't he? 

 Weight does not make a breed ; but this is actually what every 

 dog show premium li.st practically says. 



Savage reader, do you see my difficulty? If the dog I have 

 mentioned is not a "cC'Cker" what is he? Everybody I have 

 talked with on the subject, and among them at least two who 

 have judged "cockers" at representative dog shows, say that 

 he would be a field spaniel! Vei-ygood. Now, if he is a field 

 spaniel, now he is shghtly over 38 pounds in weight, why the 

 dickens should he be called a "cocker" -when he was a little 

 slighter, so to speak? 



Having ranged on the subject somewhat, I now make my 

 suggestion, which is— somebody hold "Senex" — to wipe the 

 "cocker" completely out of existence and call them all field 

 spaniels, divided in two or three classes by weight, on the 

 same principle as the pointers are now judged. For my part 

 I would say two classes only are desirable— over and under 28 

 pounds; but if "Senex" is to be considered by all means let 

 there be thi-ee classes, say under 33 pounds, over 22 and under 

 30 pounds, and over 30' pounds. Everybody wotdd then be 

 happy, "Senex" could disband his pet T. C. S. Association and 

 join hands with the other spaniel men, and the American 

 Field Spaniel Club would be a booming success. Spaniel 

 breeders would know what they would be di'iving at. The 

 public would understand also and everything would be as 

 lovely as "the flowers that bloom iu the spring, Tra la." 



I, therefore, as a spaniel breeder and exhibitor, call on the 

 management of the kennel clubs in this coimtry to expunge 

 the word "cocker" from the premium lists of their future 

 shows, and ask them to have two or three classes for field 

 spaniels, arranged as they think best. I would be glad to 

 have the American Spaniel Club (of which I am not yet a 

 member) join with me in the matter. Cave Canem. 



SPECIMEN BRICKS. 

 I. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



As I am a subscriber to your weekly publication, the Forest 

 AND Stream, and also to the American Kennel Register, I 

 write to you for information on the following subjects: Please 

 to state from whom I can obtain a handsome, well bred setter 

 dog, English, Irish, Gordon or native, or a grade from these 

 strains, about three years old, that is a remai-kably fine ani- 

 mal in scenting faculties and is particularly very excellent and 

 staimch on woodcock and ruffed grouse, a reliable and good 

 retriever of all game from land and Avater, a prompt backer, 

 with a gentle and not N-icious disposition, and steady and 

 staunch also on quail and snipe. I would require him to drop 

 to shot, and would prefer lemon and white with dark eyes 

 and black nose, or as much white as po.ssible mixed with any- 

 other color, but would not object to any color with the quali- 

 ties -wrritten, but would not desire great speed; rather a brisk, 

 active, untiring hunter. Mention price and whether guaran- 

 teed. I wish also to ascertain about cocker spaniels and the 

 ones weighing twenty-five to thirty pounds, for hunting wood- 

 cock and ruffed gTouse in thick covert. Can they be used 

 with success when entirely well broken and reliable retrievers 

 from land and water, equal to that obtained hj the use of 

 setters and pointers, or are they superior for such work? 

 Mention from whom a pair, thoroughly broken, can be ob- 

 tained, with the price and any details about their weights and 

 other matters connected with them that may be of interest : 

 also whether guaranteed. I would requu-e dogs, not bitches, 



