202 FISH HATCHING. 



^' The question that now remains to be 

 considered is, ' Has the artificial propagation, 

 even on the small scale that has been carried 

 on at Stormontfield, been of advantage to the 

 fishery proprietors on the Ta}^ We have no 

 doubt on the matter, for, on referring to a 

 statement of the rental of the Tay published 

 by the proprietors themselves, we find that 

 in the year 1828, the year of the passing 

 of Home Drummond's Act, the rental was 

 fourteen tJioiisand five liundred and seventy- 

 four 'pounds. It gradually fell off every year 

 afterwards till 1852, when it reached the 

 minimum, amounting to seven thousand nine 

 hundred and seventy -three pounds, five shillings. 

 In 1853 the artificial rearing commenced; 

 and in 1858, when the statement was j^rinted, 

 the rental was eleven thousand four hundred 



