590 REPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



brooks in which natural spawning occurs, and the formation of spawn- 

 ing places, at the time when the spawn is mature; by placing eggs 

 in common boxes in open water, which labors, though somewhat mutu- 

 ally difierent, must be regarded as of nearly equal importance, and the 

 least to which can be given the name of fish-culture. Between these 

 two extremes there will be a great multitude of variations of more or 

 less extensive cultivation, just as is the case in agriculture, produced 

 partly by local circumstances, partly by the cultivator's greater or less 

 ability, information, and aptness. The different waters will, besides, pre- 

 sent just as great variations in natural fertility as the soil. Some local- 

 ities will be able to be compared with rich wheat-land, while others can 

 be considered as only equal to poor oat-land. 



It is worth while also to find out a proper middle course which can be 

 depended upon to yield a probably medium result. As a middle course 

 for the cultivator's greater or less completeness, I will adopt a natural 

 lake of such situation that the hatching in a regular apparatus, and the 

 rearing of the young in separate water-basins through the first summer, 

 will take place, which will not require greater outlay or labor than 

 can be accomplished by any, even the most indigent, owner of fishing 

 waters who interests himself in the business and will attend to it 

 with the necessary care, at the same time that the natural means of 

 nourishment are sought to be increased by the culture of commoner 

 fishes and other aquatic animals which, likewise, any one, even the 

 poorest fish culturist, can i^erform himself or with the helj) of his half- 

 grown children. 



As a representative of the fishes of medium value, I should select the 

 fish most widely distiibuted in our country, the common trout, just as 

 one in agriculture employs barley as a common denominator. The red 

 char, in places where it can thrive well and reach its best development, 

 will be the most valuable fish, and rej^resent wheat, just as the pike and 

 the perch will stand in the series with oats ; both extremes will be cul- 

 tivated in nearly corresponding quantities, and mutually balance each 

 other. 



The selected representative occurs at all elevations above the sea, 

 even up to the uppermost limits where fish can live, and is there the only 

 kind which occurs. It is a rule, which may be regarded as universal, 

 notwithstanding that, as before remarked, each iiarticular lake may be 

 considered to have its peculiar variety of trout, in the matter of appear- 

 ance as well as taste, that the higher the lake lies the better flavored 

 are the trout which live therein. Thus it is this very species which 

 should become the object of cultivation above all others ; but against 

 this the climate opposes, at these heights, great, in many places insur- 

 mountable, difficulties, as it will be imi)Ossible for people to establish 

 winter residences at such elevations. It is e\ident, however, that peo- 

 ple are able to live at considerable heights if they find it profitable there, 

 especially after they have learned to use peat as fuel. There are besides 



