Abstract
THE Acclimatation (or, as we term it, Acclimatisation) Society of Paris, was founded in 1854, and appears to be in a most flourishing and active condition. The beautiful gardens of the society in the Bois de Boulogne are known to every visitor of Paris; but the work done by the society can be best judged of by glancing at its “Bulletins.” An important part of the operations of the society consists in the distribution of animals and plants to its members, who may wish to experiment in endeavouring to acclimatise such useful species as the society may obtain. Pisciculture of all kinds, marine and freshwater, occupies a large share of the attention of the society: ostreo-culture also and the coral-fisheries—which the French Government has most anxiously fostered on the coast of Algeria—are noticed in articles giving account of recent progress in these departments of industry. The cultivation of the silkworm, however, calls forth the most notable exertions of the society. Large districts in the south of France are given up to this employment. On some of the limestone plateaux north of Nimes—which are bare for miles and present no soil—holes are excavated, and the necessary earth in which to place the mulberry-trees which are to feed the crops of silkworms reared by the inhabitants of this district is fetched from thirty miles' distance—so valuable is the crop of silk when obtained. To these “Bulletins” we shall return as they make their monthly appearance. At present, on glancing through the year's accumulation, we find, amongst other facts of more than economical interest, an account of the introduction of the salmon of the Rhine into the Lake of Geneva. It has always been held doubtful as to whether salmon could thrive when access to the sea was impossible. The great length of the Rhone, and the overpowering force of its waters at the spot near Bellegarde, called la perte du Rhône, renders the Lake of Geneva practically closed from communication with the sea for all icthyological purposes. Hence it is exceedingly interesting to find that success has attended the efforts of Dr. Chavannes and others to introduce the Rhine salmon to this area. Specimens, put in among many thousand others in 1857, have been recaptured, weighing over four pounds, and with roe; whilst others, evidently the offspring of these, have been also taken. Further experiments are being made on an actually closed lake.
Monthly Bulletin of the Imperial Society of Acclimatation
Second Series, January to November 1896.
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Monthly Bulletin of the Imperial Society of Acclimatation . Nature 1, 236 (1869). https://doi.org/10.1038/001236f0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/001236f0