FISH CULTURE. 257 



ground trout-pond. As a bint of what can be done in fish-raising with 

 small means, his example is worthy of consideration. 



There are a few erroneous impressions still lingering in the public 

 mind which it might be well, if possible, to correct. No man need over 

 expect to make a more rapid fortune in this business than in any other. 

 The same qualities which command success in farming or the mechanic 

 arts, will command success in trout-culture. He who fails at everything 

 else, will not succeed in raising fish. It has also been imagined that 

 trout required no feed, and many ingenious estimates as to the profits 

 of the business have left this item out of account. Now when the time 

 arrives that pigs can be fattened without feeding, or calves tiu-ned into 

 beef without food, then trout may be grown without expense. Food 

 they must have in some way. In a natural trout-stream a limited num- 

 ber can forage for themselves ; but trout in a pond are like cattle in a 

 barn — they must have food furnished to them or starve. In other words, 

 fish cannot live on water. 



Another erroneous supposition is that large fish can be easily sent 

 alive by express. It is not only exceedingly difiicult to send large fish 

 alive, but the cost of transportation generally amounts to more than the 

 cost of the fish. The fry or young fish can be sent by express during 

 cold weather only. Large fish must be transported in tanks and have 

 an attendant to change the water and fee the railroad employes. 



We have purposely refrained from making any estimate of i)rofits. It 

 would be possible to set down a very enticing row of figures. But so 

 many elements enter into the question of profit, that no general estimate 

 would hold good. We know just this one thing, that the business has 

 paid us, and paid us better than any land-farming we ever heard of in 

 this section of country ; and if it has paid us, there is no law in this land 

 forbidding one man to do as well as another. 



WHITE-FISH. 



The white-fish is very justly regarded as standing high in the list of 

 valuable food-fishes. So much of the water of the United States is 

 adapted to its growth that it would look, at first sight, as if the supply 

 could not soou be diminished. A large amount of capital is employed 

 in its capture, and a great number of persons are dependent for support, 

 directly or indirectly, upon the continued supply of the fish. A very 

 brief examination of the number taken yearly during the last twenty 

 years will satisfy any one that the supply has decreased with alarming 

 rapidity, and that at the present rate of failure the day cannot be far 

 distant when it will cease entirely. It is hardly possible that the facts 

 concerning these and other fish can be generally known, or they would 

 give rise to an intelligent interest, which now seems to be almost wholly 

 wanting. 



Eepreseutatious have been made to the legislatures of our various 

 States, and to the General Government, in times past, by those who 

 were aware of the facts and of their importance. But it is only lately 

 that any disposition has been shown to listen to the warniug and save 

 thes-e sources of wealth to our iDcople. This is not the place for sta- 

 tistics, but a few brief facts may serve to show how the supplj- of the 

 white-fish is diminishing. 



Twenty years ago a haul of five thousand fish at one time, in a seine, 



was not an uncommon occurrence. Now the seine is not used, because 



no fish can be caught in that way. Twenty years ago the wholesale 



price was about $2.50 i)er hundred fish, retailing at 5 cents per pound j 



17 A 



