388 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



establishment, by stimulating and furthering the science offish-culture, 

 which formerly had been bat little known, and by guiding the business 

 of fish-culture, which had not been carried on in a rational manner, has 

 been of excedingly great use, and might, under changed circumstances, 

 be of still greater practical use in the future. 



The usefulness of this establishment is certainly only in an indirect 

 manner an economic one, whilst a well-conducted private establishment 

 may be of more direct economic use. This is owing to the difference of 

 character existing between Government and private establishments. 

 Whilst private enterprise endeavors, with all the means at its com- 

 mand, to obtain direct profit in the shape of the highest possible interest 

 on the money and labor expended, the Government has other and more 

 general objects in view than annual interest, and may nevertheless bene- 

 fit greatly the country and its citizens. 



To return to the Imperial German piscicultural establishment, it is my 

 opinion that in future it would be of much greater practical use to us 

 if, instead of being located at the extreme southwest end of our country, 

 it was placed in a more central position, nearer to the Weser, Elbe, 

 Oder, and the numerous lakes of the North German plain. In that 

 case the many valuable products of this establishment would be of 

 greater use to us than now ; as at present foreign countries actually 

 derive greater advantages from the Hiiningen establishment than our 

 country. Owing to local conditions most of the young fish from the 

 Hiiningeu establishment go into the Ehine, the Danube, and the Ehone, 

 thus being practically of very little benefit to Germany, the Nether- 

 lands, France, Switzerland, and the Danube countries enjoying the 

 fruits of German money and German labor. 



If our Government piscicultural establishment were located more in 

 the center of Germany its scientific investigations and experiments 

 would exercise a more direct influence and on wider circles in Germany, 

 by stimulating and educating our fish-culturists, than is now possible 

 while the establishment is located near the boundaries of France and 

 Switzerland. By a change of location the piscicultural establishment 

 might be brought in closer and more beneficial contact with the Govern- 

 ment and the German Fishery Association than is possible now, the 

 distance between Berlin and Hiiningen being so great. 



After having given my opinion on our Government piscicultural es- 

 tablishment, I will only briefly remark that what I have said is by no 

 means intended as an objection against the establishment of a scientific 

 station at Liibbinchen. By frequent personal observations I have 

 become well acquainted with the exceedingly practical management of 

 Mr. Eckardt's establishment, and with its great productiveness and its 

 capability of extension, and I am fully convinced that a scientific station 

 at Liibbinchen and a Government piscicultural establishment located 

 somewhere in the center of Germany can very well exist side by side, 

 and would both render highly valuable service to scientific and practi- 

 cal fish-culture. 



