ACCLIMATISATION.

Southland Times, Issue 1015, 4 September 1868, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION.

SAFE ARRIVAL OF THE TROUT OVA.

On Tuesday afternoon last the brig Prarie, from Hobarton, entered the Newv : Eiver, having on board the trout OTa which Mr Howard, the curator, to the Acclimatisation Society, had gone to Tasmania to procure on behalf of this Province. As soon as the vessel's arrvial was ascertained, Mr E. D. Butts, Secretary, and Mr D. M'Arthur, made arrangements for sending a boat down to the ship to receive the ova and take it up the river to the nearest landing place to the ponds. Having taken the ova on board the boat left the vessel's side about nine o'clock on Wednesday morning, and proceeded up the New Biver, bufr '■; owing to rough weather and contrary winds it took her two tides to made the distance, consequently she did noil reach Wallaeetown until about midnight. In the meantime the two gentlemen above named (Messrs Butts and M'Arthur) had gone out to Wallacetown early in the mornjng of "Wednesday expecting that the boat would reach the Makerewa about nine or ten o'clock. After waiting about for some time, and still no appear* > ; ance of her, Mr M'Arthur went up to have a look at the ponds to see if all was right there, and found them in excellent order for the reception of the ova ; he then returned to town afraid that some accident might have occurred in getting the ova over the ships side, or in the river ; leaving Mr Butts at Wallacetown to assist should the boat arrive. After a weary interval the boat at last made her appearance at midnight, as already stated, the box containing the precious eggs was carefully slung from poles carried by two men, and thus safely traversed the distance between the landing and the ponds. On opening the boxes those present were delighted to find that out of the one thousand ova contained therein only some thirty or forty eggs were appaiently unsound, all the rest having as healthy and fresh an appearance as when they .left their native ■■ j gravel beds. By eight o'clock on Thursday morning the work of depositing the ova in the breeding troughs was satisfac- . torily accomplished, and as the construe- ; :, tion of the ponds is said to be most perfect, and the temperature and qualify of the water exactly what is required for hatching, we may safely and confidently leave further results in a great measure to the ordinary operations of nature. The means I taken to. preserve the ova during the voyage were very simple, and, ' fortunately, very successful. The eggs, 1000 in number, were carefully packed. *. in moss . in three shallow boxes, each of .'-' about a foot in length by six inches in,

breadth, these were again packed in one case, and a quantity of snow daily spread upon the top of this, melting and running down over it kept all cool. To prevent concussion the case was slung by Indiarubber straps in a cool and convenient part of the ship. Iv addition to the trout ova Mr Howard was also supplied with a galvanized iron tank containing a couple of dozen of perch and two tench. ~ Unfortunately about the half of the perch were killed during a • Severe storm which the Prarie experienced oft the Solander Island, the others have, however, arrived in fine health and will be placed in the ponds until some more suitable locality is fixed upon for their use. A number of acquatic plants, . a variety of seeds, and a quantity of frog spawn; has also been brought over — the latter is intended to produce suitable "food for the young trout. The Acclimatization Society may be congratulated on the success of the experiment so far as it has gone, and there can be but little doubt that the ultimate result will be '.most gratifying. Everything connected with the enterprise bears at present a most hopeful aspect. Our ponds are admirably adapted for the purpose, the 6va has arrived in the best possible condition, having been taken from the rids when about half hatched, the period at which experience has proved it is Safest to move them — at the most favorable'season of the year, so that we may reasonably calculate on the greater portion of the eggs producing fish. In about two months from this time the young fry should be seen moving about, and in about two months more they should be ready to be turned into the river to shift for themselves. They will thus have the whole of the summer season in their favor, and will be in a condition themselves to spawn about this •time next year. The extraordinary fecundity of the salmon tribe is almost 'incredible. The female produces, on an average, 1000 eggs to every pound of her <bwn weight • thus a trout of one pound weight will deposit each season that number of eggs, and as our streams are wonderfully free from animals likely to destroy them, a very great proportion of them may be expected to come to maturity. As the fish begin to breed when one year old, it will be seen how rapidly our rivers may be stocked, once a commencement is made, with a variety offish, at once profitable as an investment, delicious as an article of diet, and affording much pleasure to the sportsman, instead of the loathsome looking eels, at present their only tenants. If in the course of a year or two the Makarewa ponds are capable of supplying ova to the other rivers of the province, all the money and labor expended to procure this small beginning will have been wisely laid out.