FISH-CULTURE IN MICHIGAN. 203 



tinned through the seasons of 1875 and 1876. In the meantime Eli R. Miller, of Rich- 

 land, had succeeded Governor Bagley as commissioner, and was made president of the 

 board, the statute having been so amended as to provide for three commissioners, one 

 for two years, one for four years, and one for six years, their successors to be appointed 

 to a term of six years each. The appropriations for 1875 and 187G were $7,000 for each 

 year. Twenty-two States were at this time more or less actively engaged in fish-culture. 



In 1877 the whitefish plant exceeded 8,000,000. Some experiments were made in 

 hatching the herring and the German whitefish. In the third report the commission 

 congratulates itself that while it had paid $1 per 1,000 for hatching whitefish it now 

 was producing them at a cost of not to exceed 10 cents per 1,000. The Chase auto- 

 matic jar, an invention patented by Oreii M. Chase, had now taken the place of the 

 hatching-box and was the means of greatly cheapening the production. 



The hatching of lake trout and of California salmon aud landlocked salmon was 

 continued through the years 1877 and 1878, and experiments were made with grayling, 

 though with indifferent success. In 1877 the planting of eels was first inaugurated. 

 They were taken in the Hudson, near Troy, and transported in cans. 



In the third report the superintendent concludes the California salmon is too large 

 a fish for the great bulk of the inland lakes and should be planted mainly in the rivers 

 emptying into the Great Lakes. The brook-trout work commenced about this time at 

 the hatchery at Pokagoh, the take being from 200,000 to 300,000 eggs. 



On October 14, 1877, George Clark died and was succeeded by Dr. Joel C. Parker, 

 of Grand Rapids, who continued as commissioner by successive appointments until 

 January 1, 1893. He held the office of eouimissoner continuously longer than any other 

 member and gave much valuable work and thought to the subject of fish-culture. 



The appropriations for the years 1877 and 1878 were $7,000 a year. Twenty-eight 

 States were now engaged in fish-culture. The plant of whitefish for 1878 was upward 

 of 12,500,000, and for 1879 upward of 14,500,000. During these two years the work on 

 California and landlocked salmon aud lake trout and eels continued, and two new 

 varieties, the German carp and the California or rainbow trout, were introduced. 



The appropriations for the years 1879 and 1880 were cut down to $5,000 a year. 

 On July 1, 1879, George H. Jerome resigned as superintendent, and was succeeded 

 September 15, 1879, by James G. Portman, of Watervliet, Berrien County, and the only 

 one of the old employes retained was Oren M. Chase, who had been overseer of the 

 Detroit hatchery from its start. 



Up to this time a considerable plant of whitefish fry had been made each year in 

 several of the inland lakes of the State. No extensive reports of the favorable results 

 of such planting coming to the commission, the planting was thereafter confined to 

 the Great Lakes and the rivers and straits connecting them, and such interior lakes as 

 contained native whitefish, and thus another undoubted mistake was corrected. The 

 commission, becoming convinced that the brook trout was capable of a much wider 

 range throughout the State than was formerly supposed, began to give additional 

 attention to raising and distributing this popular fish. The fourth report bravely 

 suggests that not less than 1,000,000 brook-trout fry should be hatched yearly for 

 Michigan streams. A few black bass were hatched and planted, and some experi- 

 ments made in hybridization. Renewed efforts were also made to accomplish some- 

 thing for the grayling, but without success. About this time the few remaining adult 

 California salmon were turned loose ; their exit was preceded by that of the Atlantic 



