J. PISCICULTURE AND THE FISHERIES. 395 



The Commissioners remark that Massachusetts, in 1856, 

 was the first state to appoint Fish Commissioners to consider 

 the subject of artificial propagation, but that no practical re- 

 sult followed. In 1864 New Hampshire and Vermont, in 

 1865 Massachusetts, and in 1866 Connecticut, appointed Com- 

 missioners to investigate the whole subject ; and on the 26th 

 of February, 1867, a meeting of Commissioners was held in 

 Boston, and the organization of " The New England Com- 

 missioners of Inland Fisheries" was formed, with the spe- 

 cial object of co-operation in restocking the Connecticut with 

 salmon and shad. In this New Hampshire was to procure 

 and distribute impregnated ova of salmon and shad in the 

 head-waters of the river. Vermont and Massachusetts were 

 to build suitable fish-ways over the dams to the spawning- 

 grounds, and Connecticut was to abolish gill-nets, stake-nets, 

 and pounds in the river and on the Sound. These measures 

 of co-operation were carried out as fully as the various cir- 

 cumstances would permit. 



The first experiments in the artificial hatching of shad were 

 initiated by Seth Green at Holyoke in July, 1867. In the 

 following winter the first lot of salmon fry, about 20,000, 

 were placed in the head-waters of the Connecticut. The op- 

 erations in New England generally and those in Connecticut 

 especially in succeeding years are enumerated. 



As will be noticed by a perusal of tliis very important 

 report, no state has done more than, if so much as, Con- 

 necticut for the culture of the useful food fishes ; and the re- 

 sult is already seen, as far as the Connecticut River is con- 

 cerned, in the existence of an actual glut of the market with 

 shad. 



So far no positive return has been experienced in regard 

 to salmon, but this was not expected before the year 1876, 

 and possibly 1877. "VVe hope the next report of the Commis- 

 sioners will exhibit a measure of success in this direction that 

 will satisfy the most doubting skeptics. 



EIGHTH REPORT OF THE FISH COMMISSIONERS OF NEW YORK. 



The eighth annual report of the Fish Commissioners of 

 the State of New York, for the year ending December 31, 

 1875, has made its appearance. In regard to shad, it is stated 

 that nearly 4,500,000 young fish were turned loose into the 



