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Different waters vary greatly in their characters and 

 conditions, and hshes vary very mnch in their habits ; 

 therefore the snccessfnl stocking of waters requires much 

 intelligent thought, consideration, and experience. 



We should as soon expect to raise lobsters and oysters 

 in the Ohio River as California salmon or brook-trout ; 

 but where the proper conditions exist and the right kind 

 of fishes are introduced, the results will fully justify the 

 experiment, and fish culture will achieve a triumphant 

 success : for instance, the artificial culture and introduc- 

 tion of white-fish in the Great Lakes and the shad on the 

 east coast. In fact, these results could be confidently an- 

 ticipated, because the character of the waters of the ocean 

 and of the Great Lakes are so well understood, are reason- 

 ably pure, and contain an unlimited abundance of food for 

 both old and young fishes, and if these fishes are properly 

 protected by the rigid enforcement of wise laws, there need 

 never be any complaint as to the scarcity of either. 



But the stocking of small lakes and streams is an en- 

 tirely different matter, because of the wide difference in 

 their character and condition. In the first place, it is 

 necessary that the character and condition of a stream 

 should be thoroughly and intelligently investigated before 

 any attempt should be made in the direction of stocking 

 it with fish of any kind ; and if found reasonably pure, 

 with an abundance of fish-food, then the kind of fish to 

 introduce should be the next consideration. Then both of 

 these matters being accomplished, the most important con- 

 sideration is to follow — ^the proper care and protection of 

 the fish and the water, without which it were better that 

 the work had not been begun. 



If a stream that is known to have failed in its fish supply 

 is polluted by the refuse of mills and factories on its 

 banks, it is useless to attempt to restore its fish-life by 

 the introduction of a fresh supply so long as the poisonous 



