340 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



fish -culture to private effort as of taking from the hands of the Gov- 

 ernment the care of the light-houses." 



Well said; but probably not very pleasant for the ears of true ad- 

 herents of the Manchester school. These words should be taken to 

 heart" in Europe, and especially in the Netherlands; although it must 

 not be forgotten, that with us the propagation of the salmon, which is 

 strongly encouraged by the Government — also financially — is in good 

 hands, and that four institutions rival each other in producing young 

 salmon, which are, at the rate of half a million per annum, placed in our 

 rivers. Where private efforts aided by the Government have already 

 obtained such important results, it would not be advisable all of a sud- 

 den to place the whole matter under Government care. But we men- 

 tioned already that in the public interest, of which we are speaking, 

 the salmon is only concerned to a limited extent. Biver fish like the shad, 

 pond-fish like the carp, and sea-fish like the cod, are still waiting for 

 the hands and brains of men willing and competent to increase their 

 number tenfold. 



It is in our immediate interest that such men be found in the Nether- 

 lands, so we may be the first to reap the fruits of America's teachings, 

 and to take the front rank in the European fish markets which belongs 

 to us, on account of our more numerous marine products, rather than 

 to other countries which, owing to their nature and location are less 

 favorably situated, and are not able to imitate the example set by 

 America as well as we can. Let us briefly review the history and prac- 

 tical application of fish-culture in America: 



Although as early as 1S53 experiments in fish-culture were made in 

 the United States by private individuals, the first public measure of 

 importance was not taken till 1850, when the State of Massachusetts 

 appointed three " fish commissioners." The question was not yet ready 

 for solution. It was not till 1865 that the same State appointed a per- 

 manent Fishery Commission. 



" Meanwhile an enterprising private individual, Mr. Seth Green, had, 

 in 1804, succeeded in showing that fish-culture may be carried on in 

 such a manner as to become a source of pecuniary profit; and in 1807 — 

 only sixteen years ago — the first piscicultural establishment in the 

 United States was founded by the State of Massachusetts. Till the 

 year 1870 various kinds of fish, especially shad and trout, were raised 

 with constantly increasing success, the above-mentioned Seth Green 

 taking the lead, and distinguishing himself, among the rest, by the in- 

 vention of the " shad-box." 



The year 1871 was doubtless the most important year in the his- 

 tory of American fish-culture ; as that year was to witness the found- 

 ing of two institutions, originally differing in their character and in- 

 dependent of each othtr, but later mutually aiding each other and 

 thereby exercising a most beneficial influence on each other's activity. 

 I refer to the " American Fish-culturist Association" (which in 1870 



