7 
probably this, that with such enormous destruction being 
required to go on, possibly the destruction might sometime 
be rather overdone, anda whole year’s brood might be swept 
off. The vacancy thus created would be immediately 
filled by those little forms whose rate of growth had been 
retarded; they would rush in and occupy the vacant 
space. . 
Apart, however, from any great convulsion sweeping 
away a whole year’s brood, something of this kind’ does 
actually take place. Nature acts just as an intelligent 
gardener or farmer does. Some crops, such as cabbages, 
celery, &c., which bear removal, it is found most economical 
to grow in seed«beds and to transplant. By this means 
ground can be used for another crop, and as that is cleared, 
well-grown specimens of the next can be planted out, and 
so save the time of:the larger fields or beds. This phe- 
nomenon has a most important bearing upon the fishery 
question, for Nature says in effect to the fisherman, ‘‘ Work 
away, take all you can make any use of, you do not need to 
wait for another year’s crop. I have vast reserves of young 
well-grown fish ready to plant out. The more you take, the 
more I will supply.” 
Nature in the sea has one great advantage. The 
agriculturist must time his seed-beds so that the young 
plants will be exactly ready when wanted, but in the sea 
Nature can hold her stock at any size she likes until they 
