INTRODUCTION OF SALMON.

Otago Witness, Issue 749, 7 April 1866, Page 2

INTRODUCTION OF SALMON.

(Prom the Dailt Tixbs, April 4.)

Maht subjects of colonial interest excite attention for a while, are earnestly discussed, enthusiastically investigated, and then allowed to sleep, if not to be altogether forgotten. This is the case generally with those that offer no immediate advantage. Projects that require a long time for their development, and in which the future profit is social rather than individual, are almost inevitably thrust on one side, amid the active and ever busy life in a colony. There is not the inducement presented of seeing the result, and reaping direct ad- , vantage from it, although it i 3 not the less true that what benefits a community brings gain to every member of it. It is now about two years since that great interest was taken in the experiment then in progress of conveying salmon ova from England to Australia. Every one knows that after repeated attempts and failures every difficulty was j overcome, and a quantity was hatched in Australia and in Tasmania. The progress of the experiment was reported from time to time, so long as the state of development of the fish allowed them to remain under observation. They grew and took their departure, and the future alone will disclose whether the summer seas of Australia are a suitable habitat for a fish of such sensitive organisation. While these efforts were in progress it was pressed upon our attention in New Zealand that our splendid snow- fed streams appeared to offer a more natural climate for talmon than the waters of Australia. Like our woods and plains they are nearly tenantless. There are no voracious Pike or Murray Cod to decimate the young fry on emerging from the ova ; and so far as- observation has extended, there is every reason to believe more favorab'e waters for experiment could not be found. Even should the experiment fail in Australia, it does not by any means prove that it would not succeed here. The climates of the two Colonits differ. The temperature of the ocean that washes their shores differs, and therefore the effort might be crooned with succes3 here, while there it may eventually prove a failure. But although two years ago it was acknowledged on aii hands that a trial desirable, all interest in it has died away. In order to succcs3 in such an undertaking, in fact, it appears necessary that there should be some one so thoroughly impressed with its importance as to devote unceasing energy and time to its accomplishment. Such has been the experience of Tasmania and Victoria. Fifteen years ago, the idea was first suggested by Sir W. Denison, while Governor of Tasmania. It was not then deemed a difficult task to accomplish. A small sum, £360, was devoted by the Tasmaniau Government to the purpose, but the effort proved a failure, as did also a subsequent one in 1860, and a third. But these failures were the stepping stones to success. One gentleman, Mr J. A. Youl of Clapham Park, devoted his attention to the subject, and in opposition to the opinion of naturalists of eminence, both French and English, he devised the means of transporting ova uninjured through the heat of the tropics, and of safely placing them in Australian and Tasmaniau rivers.

Interest in this subject is very likely to be revived by the shipment in January of a further quantity of ova in the Lincolnshire, one of Messrs Wigram and Son's vessels, which, under the supervision of Mr Youl, has been specially fitted with every appliance that experience has shown to be necessary to ensure success. Some idea may be formed of the pains taken to guard against failure, by the lollowing description of the arrangements on board the Lincolnshire, extracted from an article in the Australian and New Zealand Gazette : — "In the fore part of the hold of the " Lincolnshire Mr Youl has constructed a " most massive ice-house, supported by " strong beams with double walls, lined . " with lead inside, and vacant space be-

" tween them, filled with charcoal, solidly "rammed down, charcoal having been " found the best available non-conductor in •* the dry state; when wet it is do longer so, " and the difficulty of keeping it dry in such" *• a position is another proof of the nicety and " care required at every stage of the under- " taking. The well is most ingeniou?ly " drained, for it is evident that an accu11 mulation of water would rapidly promote " the melting of the ice and destroy the " ova, besides the risk of the boxes being " violently shaken. Every care is taken to " prevent the bilge water rising into the " ice-house itself, and we trust that the " captain of the Lincolnshire will look " frequently to his pumps and prevent any i " danger of this kind, which it strikes us is " the only one that can happen to this I precious freight. The well, which exI " tends across the hold of the vessel, is 11 about lift. BTn.8 T n. in height, the door being i " nearly at the top. At the bottom of this I " well ia laid a sort of grating, and upon | " this are deposited 94 boxes, containing " about 70,000 salmon ova, and 8 boxes " with about 3000 salmon trout ova. " Above the boxes something like 30 tons " of ice is packed, which has been supplied "in Bplendid condition by the Wenham " Lake Ice Company, and we need not say " that the careful packing of this ice is " most important. At the top again are " 41 boxes of salmon ova from the Tweed, " and one box of the ova of the brown v trout, which arrived too late to be packed " below."

" We had almost omitted to describe the " boxes in which the ova are packed. They '' are made of stout deal, about a foot " long by nine inches wide and six inches " deep. At the bottom is slightly spread " a small quantity of charcoal, then some " skilfully- cleaned moss, well wetted but " carefully drained. The moss constitutes " the nest for the ova, which are sprinked " over it — a most delicate operation, " only to be done by a person of experi- " ence ; then moss is placed over the ova " and on top some fiaely powdered ice. " The lid is then screwed on, and as soon " as the box his drained for .a short time "it is ready for the ice-house. Tbis pro- " cess seem 3 very simple, but it is the re- " suit of some very elaborate experiments, " and requires great nicety. Let us take " the moss. It must be most carefully " washed, for the slightest dirt is fatal to j " the ova, and yet it has been found by ; " practical experience that in the boxes in " whichthemosshasbeen preserved as fresh " and green as possible the ova has been the " most healthy, whilst too much washing " has injured the roots of the mos3 aad " deprived it of the dirt which appears to "' be essential to its vitality. The original " object of the charcoal was to ab=orb any " ill effects from the decomposition of the " ova that may die, for it is impossible to " prevent same proportion perishing in " each box, even before the process of " packing is completed. It is also believed " that the charcoal has had another very " important result, and that, whilst absorb- " ing any carbonic acid generated in the " boxes from the dead ova, it has thrown off " oxygen, which ha? materially contributed " to the vitality of the moss and the pre- j " servation of the still more precious ova." j

Colonist in every part of the world have much to contend with. In the older continents, abounding as they do with animal life, there are noxious and destructive anima 1 ", as well a? those which are useful to mankind. It has been reserved for the inhabitants of these Southern lands to choose, to a very gre-Jt c-xtent, the class of animals that shall in time to come dwell ia our woods and forests, and browse upon our pastures, as well as to deciJe what fish shall inhabit oar rivers. No period can be so favorable to the development of fluvial and S3 Ivan life as the present. Commerce has not yet found it necessary to interfere ■with many cf the rivera which wind their waj^ through the country, fed by lakes and mountain torrents ; nor is population so dense as to prevent the rapid multiplication of any animals it is advisable to introduce into the country. A few years would suffice to render both classes abundant, and no greater benefit could be conferred upon the country thin to add these to the inducements already existing to make New Zealand a favorite field for emigration at Home.