672 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



(le France, fish-cultare has received much attentiou, and though the 

 splendid success — promising to populate rivers, lakes, and ponds with 

 fishes — has only to a small degree been attained for France, yet the 

 Hiiningen Muster Anstalt, established by the French Government, dili- 

 gently continues its labors under the direction of German officers and 

 the Deutsche Fischerei- Verein, endeavors to develop in all circles of our 

 population a greater interest in the progress of fish-culture. 



Whether the successes will correspond to the expectations, time only 

 can show. So far the artificial breeding of noble fishes {Edeljische) only 

 can be considered successful; but it seems that the Salmonidw alone, 

 though quite a desirable enrichment of our rivers, will scarcely ever 

 constitute a cheap food for the people. The Fischerei- Verein will have 

 to direct its attention especially to the reform of the laws ; for in the 

 fish trade a good many things still depend on the option of the individ- 

 ual. So, for instance, many eels are at present confiscated in Berlin for 

 the lack of lawful size, while in Pomerania, whence 90 per cent, of all 

 the eels in the Berlin market come, the same size of fish is not only 

 considered marketable, but iron eel-traps are rented to anybody for a 

 few cents for catching the fish under the ice, where of course no dis- 

 crimination can be made as to size. 



We will now return to Nether Lusatia and rejoice at the results of the 

 natural fish-breeding, which, quietly and without noise, like everything 

 truly good, in its own way has reached its present height. How many 

 prejudices had to be removed, how many notions to be contended with, 

 how many experiences to be collected before Lusatia could succeed in 

 securing for its cultur-Fisch, the carp, the market over all Germany. 



Let us now go to these ponds and take a glance at the breeding and 

 capturing. The ponds, about seventy in number, have a surface of about 

 5,000 Morgen (3,500 acres), and yield at present 2,000 hundred weight 

 per year. 



Now we will look at one of the small ponds, a so-called Streichteich. 

 In this a definite number of milts and roes (males and females) deposit 

 their spawn. Here especial care is required in the management of the 

 pond-bottom, which, by antecedent cultivation, is fertilized and has its 

 acids neutralized. It is desirable to have the pond sheltered against the 

 noxious influence of the wind ; then it must be kept absolutely free from 

 pikes, and it is of advantage that its water in great part is derived directly 

 from the heavens, for the Hbnmelsteiche are usually the best Streichteiche. 

 If now the bottom was not too poor, and if wind and weather were not 

 unfavorable, next spring the strong fry will be transferred into the 

 StrecMeich, for in fall time this movement is rather dangerous, as young 

 carps will never endure U|e dangers of winter when in their transfer 

 their scales are injured. This StrecMeich must be rich in nourishment, 

 so that the fish grow rapidly to be fit for the Ahioachsteich. 



In many cases, however, the fishes have to be placed into a StrecTc- 

 teich of the second order because their growth was insufficient. The 



