INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1874. clxxi 



come by legislative enactment. Similar indications of the 

 occurrence of nearly full-grown shad in Lake Ontario have 

 also been recorded. 



The experiment of transferring salmon to New Zealand 

 and Tasmania has not been satisfactory heretofore, and it is 

 proposed to renew it by means of spawn sent from England, 

 as also from California. The success in introducing the Eu- 

 ropean Trout and Yellow Perch has, however, been perfect, 

 both these species being now taken by the ton in the waters 

 of the countries first mentioned. 



The increasing interest in the general subject of fish- 

 culture is shown by the number of states now provided 

 with Fish Commissioners to look after this interest within 

 their respective limits; and it is probable that during the 

 present winter many of the remaining states will be pro- 

 vided with such officers. When this is done, a mutual un- 

 derstanding between the Commissioners of the states and 

 the Commissioner of the United States will doubtless re- 

 sult in the enactment of uniform laws that shall protect 

 the interest of the community without being onerous upon 

 those who engage in the business of capturing fish for the 

 market. 



The sea fisheries of the country have been prosecuted on 

 a very large scale, not the least important among which is 

 that w T hich relates to the capture and utilization of the Men- 

 haden or Mossbunker. An immense capital is now invested 

 in this business, employing several hundred sailing-vessels 

 and quite a number of steamers, and having manufactories 

 all alonoj the coast for the conversion of the fish into oil and 

 scrap. Many millions of gallons of oil were made in 1873, 

 and the yield for 1874 will probably be much greater. A 

 recent method of utilizing this fish consists in converting it 

 into an article of food, which is sold in hermetically sealed 

 cans, either. as put up in oil or in pickle. A single establish- 

 ment at Port Monmouth, New Jersey, consumes two hun- 

 dred bushels daily in the summer, in the manufacture of 

 what is technically known as " Ocean Trout." 



Much apprehension has lately been aroused on the New 

 England coast in view of the rapid decrease of the lobsters, 

 both in number and size, resulting especially from the recent 

 practice of canning ; and the combined action of the Do- 



