THE HISTORY OF FISH-CULTURE. 515 



according to the official report there are eighty families which live en- 

 tirely off the fisheries. 



The first establishment which we visited in Switzerland is that of 

 Dr. Yoiiga, a learned and conseientions man. Every pisciculturist 

 knows Dr. Vouga by reputation, and at the last scientific congress held 

 at Lausanne a conference regarding his work was held, and was greatly 

 appreciated by scientists. His method of artificial fecundation consists 

 in placing the eggs in a vessel without water and then pouring in the 

 milt. Of G,000 eggs which he thus fecundated last year not one proved 

 a failure. The establishment of Dr. Vouga has not yet been entirely 

 organized, but it has already rendered excellent service, and the river 

 Keuss, which is farmed by him, is now, through his exertions, com- 

 pletely stocked with fish. 



Mr. Hasler, of Interlachen, is an intelligent and practical man, who by 

 himself has learned all the secrets of piscicnlture ; he makes many 

 experiments on the nature of the water and its influence on the devel- 

 opment of fish. His establishment is fed from a very pure spring and 

 from the Lutschine, a stream formed by the glaciers of the Juugfrau. 

 Mr. Hasler has carried on pisciculture for four years only, and he pos- 

 sesses the most remarkable specimens of fish, which he has bred and 

 raised artificially. The question of food constantly occupies his atten- 

 tion, and we believe that the system he has adopted, and which consists 

 in putting the young fish in water which was but seldom renewed, 

 allowing the infusoriiie to develop, will prove very satisfactory in the end. 



The cantonal establishment at Zurich, located at Meilen, has been in 

 operation for sixteen years; it is destined to replenish the Lake of 

 Zurich from the waters which feed it, and to improve the species found 

 in that part of Switzerland. The government annually appropriates 

 the sum of 3,000 francs for this establishment. 



Every year, in the mouth of October, the government orders the fish- 

 ers to gather, at the sources of the Ehine, salmon destined for repro- 

 duction. These salmon are placed five in a cask filled with water and 

 capable of holding from 400 to 500 liters, (87^ to 109 gallons.) They 

 are sent to Zurich by railroad, and from there to Meilen by steamer. 

 During the journey the water is renewed three times. At Meilen they 

 are placed in water to await the time of maturity. 



In the reservoirs of the establishment very fine lake-trout are kept, 

 with which a crossbreed is produced. The object of this crossing is to 

 produce a variety of the salmon kind, having the shape and quality of 

 the salmon, and preserving at the same time the habits of the trout, 

 i. e., it is desired to produce a stationary salmon, stayiug in the waters 

 of the lake, without feeling the necessity of going into the sea. It is 

 believed that this result has been obtained, and it is even thought that 

 this cross-breed is capable of reproduction. The person who is at the 

 head of this establishment has assured us that this is the case, and the 

 experience of Mr. Samuel Chantran, of the College of France, has proved 



