WATER CULTURE COMPARED WITII LAND CULTURE. 221 



most of the discoveries of that un progressive people. The Ro- 

 t mans were scarcely so well informed, and only developed the nat- 

 ural method ; and the first real attempts which produced practical 

 results were made in France in quite modern times, when the dis- 

 coveries of the past were discovered over again. In that scientific 

 and cultivated nation, however, the matter attracted immediate 

 attention, and its importance was appreciated by a people which 

 has long been forced to make the most of its food resources. The 

 Government took it in hand, and soon satisfied of its practicability, 

 built the national establishment at Arcachon. At first blunders, 

 of course, were made. Finding uncertainty, an uncertainty arising 

 solely from ignorance, in impregnating and hatching the artificially 

 impregnated eggs, resort was had to collect the ova from the 

 various streams of the country, after it had been deposited there, 

 in the natural method, and developing it under proper supervision 

 and guarded from enemies and disease. Directions were at the 

 same time published for stripping the parent fish of their eggs, so 

 that the ripe spawn might also be saved from any mature individ- 

 uals which should happen to be caught. 



This plan, however, was unsatisfactory ; it was but little more 

 than robbing Peter to pay Paul. Not only was much unripe and 

 worthless spawn taken tln-ough ignorance or cupidity, but the 

 natural supply was carried from the streams to such an extent 

 that they were greatly denuded, and were run down to a degree 

 which was hardly made good by the supplies of young fry which 

 were afterward sent to them from the national establishment. 

 These errors were, however, corrected in time ; greater knowledge 

 and skill were attained, better methods and machinery were in- 

 vented, and in the end Arcachon became a success, fish-culture 

 triumphed over the obstacles in its way, and many of the waters 

 of France which had been entirely depleted were replenished, and 

 the fisheries were restored to a condition of fruitful ness which 

 they had not known for years, while a most important article of 

 diet was furnished to the people at cheaper rates and in more 

 abundant quantities. Up to this time deterioration and increasing 

 scarcity had been the rule, but soon an improvement began which 

 has far more than repaid the expense incurred by the Government, 

 and has led to consequences the public value of which cannot be 

 overestimated. 



England was not long in following the example of France. The 

 salmon fishery has been the principal estuary and fresh-water 



