596 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONEE OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



different parts of tlie coiiutry. Of this, liowever, there may be doubt, 

 tliougli one in the lower districts of the country, and in paany places iu 

 the southern jfud western portion, will have it in his power, iu a very 

 considerable degree, to increase the yield by the use of othex means of 

 food for the fish besides living fish and other water-animals, which at 

 the same time are reared in the waters. It is x>ossible that the yield from 

 the most elevated lakes, where cultivation to a considerable extent will 

 be checked bj^ local and climatic conditions which cannot be overcome, 

 will be so far below the stated average that the greater yield of the lakes 

 more favorably situated will not counterbalance the reduction in the 

 total 5'ield hereby caused. So as not to estimate too high, I will, there- 

 fore, only place the medium yield at half of that previously ealeulated, or 

 at $27,500,000 annually. 



But this is, however, onlj' a jiortiou of the jjrofit which carefully-prose- 

 cuted fish culture will give ; because the salmon fishery, which I here 

 only casually and in passing have considered, can — if the opportunity for 

 the increase of the abundance of this species of fish is unbounded, above 

 what it is now, at all events to an extent whose measure it is impossible 

 to indicate, and w^hen the fishery can be prosecuted everywhere along 

 our wide-stretched coast where fishing apparatus can be idaced, when 

 the abundance of fish has reached its greatest possible increase — in a 

 comparativeljr short time by suitable modes of proceeding gain an im- 

 portance and yield a profit which, in all probability, will not fall below 

 what the lake fishery alone can yield; and possibly give considerably 

 greater profit than tins. If one estimate, therefore, the profit of the sal- 

 mon fishery, like the previously-reduced value of the profit which the fresh 

 waters probably will be able to produce, w^hen the business at sometime 

 iu the future receives the attention and the labor w hich it fully deserves, 

 the probable profit of the cultivation of fishes of the hest hinds, which can 

 he horn only in fresh water, will he estimated loiv if placed at $55,000,000 

 gross yearly. 



This industry may also reach such a development that its gross yield 

 may exceed the value of the whole annual import of the country, which 

 in a good year amounts to the sum mentioned, and considerably surpass 

 the combined profit of agriculture and grazing, which, according to Dr. 

 O. J. Broch's tables in the work quoted, amounted in 18G5 to $13,750,000 

 -f $22,000,000 = $35,750,000. 



Thus the matter presents itself when regarded in its entirety and under 

 the supposition that the w^ork is carried on with the greatest possible 

 economy in the same manner nearly as the mass of farmers carry on their 

 work. 



I shall next attempt to set forth how fish cidturc appears when it is 

 considered as a means of industrial speculation, as afield for the employ- 

 ment of capital, which seeks security and a good interest. In order that 

 a speculation of this species may give good returns, the business must 

 be carried on to such an extent that the necessarv assistants can be 



