- FISH CULTUEE. 271 



plaiut and dissatisfactiou wcro eucouutered evorywliero, tbo ijsheiies having fallen off 

 immensely, aitliough the enhanced price paid by the consumer somewhat indemnified 

 the fishermen for this scarcity, bnt the public genei'ally suffered in consequence. There 

 never before had been so few shad taken, and the retail i)rice in market rarely fell 

 below 75 cents for fish which ten years ago were sold for 10 and 15 cents apiece. Near 

 Carmausville and in tl^at portion of the river where the nets were not up the fishermen 

 were not averaging four fish a day ; higher up they were doing somewhat but not 

 much better. Scarcely any shad pass above Albany, where in former times they were 

 most abundant, as they cannot run the gauntlet of the nets below. At the time when 

 your commissioners csamined that section, the seines Avere not taking over one shad to 

 a haul. 



Let us bear the above in mind and compare it with the story to bo 

 told four years later. 



In the spring of 1869 there were hatched and put into the river about 

 three millions of young. The reason why more were not hatched was, 

 that not enough spawners could be obtained. In 1870 there were 

 hatched out about two and one-half millions, in 1871 about eight and 

 one-quarter millions, and in 1872 about eight millions. 



According to the theory- that the lish would return full grown in three 

 years, there should have been a slight increase in 1871, a larger increase 

 in 1872, and should be a larger increase still in 1873 and 1874. The fact 

 was that the yield in 1871 was larger than usual on the Hudson, 

 although tlie immense yield in the Connecticut that year glutted the 

 market, put down the price from 818 per hundred to $3 per hundred, 

 and overshadowed the slight increase in the Hudson. In 1872, to speak 

 entirely within bounds, the fishing was more than twice as good as at 

 any time before in twenty years. Any amouut of fish sold at from $3 

 to $5 per hundred, whereas the usual price was $18 to $30 per hun- 

 dred. The boats refused to lake them any more unless the freight was 

 prepaid ; dealers in the cities wrote to the fishermen to stop sending, and 

 many dealers who had contracts with the fishermen broke their con- 

 tracts and paid the forfeit money, rather than submit to a greater loss. 

 The men stopped fishing, as it would not pay. It was the first time the 

 market was ever glutted. 



Now, in comparing this abundance with the previous scarcity, I wish 

 to note that the dealers and fishermen were no more dissatisfied with the 

 latter abundance than with the former scarcity ; abundance of fish and 

 low prices caused no more grumbling than high prices and a dearth of 

 fish. In order to be entirely satisfied, their human nature required an 

 abundance of fish and the highest price ever paid. The general pub- 

 lic are thankful that the two last facts are not likely to be found 

 together. 



Again, in looking at the last statement of the abundance of fish, that 

 it was so great that many were lost, and that the fishermen had to stoj) 

 netting because there was no sale, the question very naturally arises, 

 what more does any one want 1 What is the use of iiutting more fish 

 in, when there are too many already? Are there not now" enough to 

 satisfy the demand? Yes, enough to satisfy the existing demand. But 

 bear in mind the following facts. The increase in the supply was alto- 

 gether unexpected by the fishermen and dealers. Arrangements and 

 contracts had been made to dispose only of the usual supply at the 

 usual price. Shad had come to be a luxury found only at hotels, restau- 

 rants, and on the tables of the rich; and as the price was exorbitant 

 the demand was limited. When the sudden influx came, the demand 

 did not proportionately increase. People had ceased to think of shad 

 as a regular article of diet, and there was no time to create a demand 

 and no ihcilities for supplying it if there had been. Should the increased 



