XXXIII -REPORTS OF SPECIAL CONFERENCES WITH THE AMER- 

 ICAN FISH-CULTURISTS' ASSOCIATION AND STATE COMMIS- 

 SIONERS OF FISHERIES. 



A— MEETING AT BOSTON, JUNE 13, 1872. 



At a meeting of fish-commissioners and members of the American 

 Fish-Cnltiuists' Association, held at Boston June 14, 1872, the following 

 gentlemen were present : 



Prof. S.F. Baird, United States Commissioner; Dr. W.W. Fletcher, 

 New Hampshire; A. A. Reed, Rhode Island ; Newton Dexter, Rhode 

 Island ; Dr. J. H. Slack, New Jersey; E. A. Brackett, Massachusetts ; 

 C. A. Walker, Massachusetts ; B. F. Bowles, Massachusetts ; George 

 Shepard Page, New York ; and Livingston Stone, New Hampshire. 



George Shepard Page was chosen chairman. 



On taking the chair, he briefly stated that the meeting was brought 

 about in consequence of a motion by Dr. Edmunds, fish-commissioner 

 of Vermont, at the late meeting of the American Fish-Culturists' Asso- 

 ciation at Albany, that Congress be memorialized to make an appro- 

 priation for the purpose of propagating salmon and shad in the rivers 

 of the United States. 



Mr. Page said that he was honored with the chairmanship of the 

 committee for this purpose, and he had called on the Committee on 

 Appropriations, with Professor Baird, Mr. Walker, and Mr. Frye, mem- 

 ber of Congress from Maine, to urge the requisite appropriation. 



The committee of the House voted to grant an appropriation of 

 $10,000, which was stricken out when the bill came up for consideration 

 in the House ; but in the Senate the item was restored, and increased to 

 $15,000, thus giving this amount for the desired purpose; and Professor 

 Biiird, as United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, was placed 

 in charge of the disbursement of the sum. It was thought proper by 

 him, on consultation with others, to have a meeting called at once of at 

 least one representative from each State interested; and of the number 

 invited, nine gentlemen were i)resent on a very brief notice, while from 

 others letters were received expressing regret at their inability, on so 

 short a summons, to participate in the deliberations of the meeting. 



A letter was read from W. Clift, one of the commissioners of Con- 

 necticut, giving his views of the importance of stocking the tribu- 

 taries of the Mississippi with shad, and of expending the greater part 

 of the appro[)riation in propagating the nobler fish. 



Professor Baird spoke of the subject that it was proposed to discuss as 

 one of great interest and one in wLiich the country is vitally concerned. 



