21 



300,000,000 as could doubtless have been done, had 

 proper legislation been had," In 1S70, there were 

 2,604,000 shad fry planted (see report for that year, 

 page 4). 



This, judging by the plants afterward made, was an 

 average year and it is possible that there was a typo- 

 graphical error in the figures for 1869. But, whatever 

 may have been the number planted each year since the 

 good work began it is certain that each young shad 

 artificially hatched would never have seen daylight but 

 for the aid of the fish culturist, for the eggs obtained 

 were from fish caught for market and would have been 

 wasted entirely, as they were too ripe to be eaten as 

 "roe" for when within a week of maturity the ovarian 

 sac is almost purple with the distended veins and not at 

 all tempting as food, besides being very tender to 

 handle, for the eggs are ready to drop apart. 



This extra supply of young shad, preserved from 

 danger during the egg and embryo stage and let loose 

 at the time when ready to take food, supplements and 

 reinforces the natural hatch in the river, which has 

 eraduallv sfrown less each year, because of the increase 

 of fishermen with improved appliances of capture to 

 supply the increased demand occasioned by the exten- 

 sion of railroads. 



Looked at in this light it will be seen that the 

 natural hatch in the river must decrease in proportion 

 to the number of fish caught, and only artificial propa- 

 gation has kept the shad fisheries of the Northern 

 States up to their former standard, and now that the 

 southern rivers are beginning to feel the drain, they 

 will soon have to look to shad culture to keep up their 

 stock, or see it dwindle into next to nothing as the shad 

 catch has done in the Connecticut River. This river 

 furnishes a case in point. Its shad fisheries, once so 

 famous, have fallen off until they are hardly sufficient 



