FISH CULTURE. 259 



tbe deep water of the lakes, in common with the white-lish, and their food 

 is to a large extent made up of the yoimg of the white-fish. Xow, be- 

 cause the white-fish are more highly esteemed for the table, aud are more 

 easily- taken than the salmon-trout, they have been decreased in greater 

 })roportion than the salmon-trout. In its natural state the lakes held so 

 many breeding white-fish that the salmon-trout did not perceptibly de- 

 crease theiruumbers ; the balance Avas maintained; but with the decreased 

 number of white-fish breeders, aud comparatively larger number of sal- 

 niou-trout, the balance is lost, and the salmon-trout will keep the white- 

 fish down. 



The other jnethod is by artificial hatching. If enough young fish are 

 )uir iMtoany ouelalce, the abundanceof twenty years ago can be restored in 

 lour yenr,«. Let us take, for instance. Lake Erie. Most of the experi- 

 uieuts already' ujade with white-fish have been tried there; that is, ex- 

 j)eriinents in obtaining and impregnating the eggs. The fish run up into 

 the Detroit Kiver to spawn, and are easily obtained. Hence at this 

 poiut (Detroit) the habits of the fish at their breeding-time are known, 

 the spawuers are caught without difliculty, and we have all the knowl- 

 edge necessary to restocking the lake. For restocking Lake Erie there 

 should be put into the lake at least one hundred million of young fish 

 annually for four years. That these young fish will live and grow is 

 not now to be questioned. The fact has been definitely settled by the 

 increase of the various shad-fisheries stocked in the same way. Of course 

 not all of the number put in will arrive at maturity ; a large propor- 

 tion will furnish food to adult fish of other kinds, but certainly nolarger 

 proportion than is now lost in the same way. The proportion destroyed 

 being the same, let us see what is the advantage of artificial over natu- 

 ral increase. Out of five thousand eggs laid naturally, one Qg£^ {not one 

 thousand) will hatch out. Four thousand fish hatched out of five thou- 

 sand eggs is a low estimate for artificial hatching, but even at this low 

 estimate the increase of chances is four thousand fish to one fish. An 

 appropriation of 815,000 per year for four years by the Government 

 would be amply sufiicient for the purpose — which appropriation, divided 

 among the number of pounds taken, would not be anything like one cent 

 I)er pound on the annual catch. 



"One hundred millions of fish" has a rather large sound, and is, in 

 fact, a very large number of fish. But the Avhite-lish yields about ten thou- 

 sand eggs to the pound of fish, and one hundred millions could be easily 

 obtained. Ko trouble would be found in obtaining more if necessary, 

 but the difficulty in the operation would be this : In order to obtain and 

 take proper care of so many eggs skilled labor must be emploj'ed, and 

 very few skillful workmen in this branch of art could nov/ be found. 

 The limited operations of the various States which have engaged in the 

 enterprise of restocking their waters, aud the numbers of private breed- 

 ing-establishments, have added somewhat to the number of skilled la- 

 borers ; but all such are in great demand, and men would have to be 

 trained especially for the work. 



The vrhite-fish spawn generally about the month of November, is^at- 

 urally they cast their eggs in from 5 to 20 feet of water, over springs, 

 if they can find them; or, if not, near the shore, on gravelly bottom. 

 The female, when ready to spawn, may be seen swimming round with a 

 half dozen males in close pursirit. When she is about to cast her eggs 

 one of the males darts to her side ; they press against each other, and 

 the eggs and milt are emitted simultaneously. This may take place 

 near the surface of the water or lower down ; but, wherever they may 

 be, as soon as the eggs are thus spread broadcast, all the fish in the 



