94 Tzvcnty-sixth Annual Meeting 



tion of such food that sliall form a part of the daily sustenance of 

 the niilHons of these surrounding states. 



It is on tliese great waterways, that produce such al)undance 

 of fish food, especially of such delectable and enticing- flavor, 

 that even the convalescent longs again for the repetition of the 

 dainty dish. In these waters the "Namaycush" and "Core- 

 gonus" have their habitat; in the depths of these cold waters 

 nothing putrescent contaminates — 400 feet deep and ;^t, degrees 

 to 39 degrees Fah' — conduces to a purity phenominal. 



The advance in the practice of lish culture has become so 

 popular, that even the toilers on these waters recognize in these 

 fish hatching stations and their keen sighted employees, possi- 

 bilities that are advancing the interests of even fishermen, and 

 means to them more than a subsistence. From these men used 

 to handling fish there has come scores of times the oft-expressed 

 wish to understand thoroughly the best ways to increase the sup- 

 plies of food fishes they handle ; even the legislative committees 

 at the last session were* asked to consider some means whereby 

 fish should be secured to supply the places of those taken by 

 nets in international and Ijoundary waters. I^^ishcrmen are said 

 to be sordid, seeking only the present good ; yet theirs is the 

 desire to increase a knowledge of the taking of spawn that will 

 ])roduce the very l)est results; and tens of thousands would accrue, 

 v.here now but hundreds are produced by the methods they em- 

 ploy 



As to the fitness of such workers, there can be no question, 

 inured to cold and exposure, hard}- toilers, indefatigable, ])er- 

 sistent even to face fearful odds — absolutely proof against that 

 l)ane of all landsmen, "sea sickness," they will still face every 

 danger, even though beaten back by winds and storms. 



There are no more amusing sights than to see a man trying 

 to stri]) a vigorous squirming fisli, at a time when an irresistible 

 impulse comes o'er the individual to l)alance his accounts by 

 "feeding the fishes." 



I have known such fishermen in the excitement of a rush, 

 when a net full of ripe fish were secured, wade in almost waist 

 deep into waters positively chilling; and in their eagerness to 

 take all the eggs that were possible to secure, to lift their hats 

 and wipe away the drops of perspiration from across the fore- 

 head. 



A gentleman (|uite prominent as a successfid culturist in his 

 work said, but a few years since; "I would rather have a good 

 fishermen possessed of good horse sense, and let him get into 



