438 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2J 



that a small uumber have been brought from there to I^Iikolsk for the 

 purpose of propagation. Owing to the lack of spawn the Nikolsk es- 

 tablishment lias never been worked to its full capacity. The largest 

 number of eggs hatched iu a year was 300,000, but generally it is only 

 about 100,000. 



It is not surprising that, under such unfavorable circumstances, the es- 

 tablishment did not flourish, and that its founder sunk in it his whole for- 

 tune. He thereupon formed an association, which spent 41,000 rubles 

 [830,094] on the establishment, without, however, being able to make it 

 prosper, in spite of a subsidy of 30,000 rubles [$22,020] from the Govern- 

 ment. The association was dissolved, and in 18G8 the Government took 

 charge of the unfortunate establishment. The expense of starting it was 

 100,000 rubles [$73,400], and, according to some estimates, even 200,000 

 rubles [$146,800]. At present the Nikolsk establishment belongs to the 

 Government, and may be said merely to exist. For its maintenance 3,000 

 rubles [$2,202] are annually appropriated, of which sum 2,400 [$1,7G2] 

 go toward the salaries of the various officials. 



As has already been said, the establishment has been anything but 

 a success. The neighboring lake of Pskov, which has been stocked 

 by the Nikolsk establishment Avith marane and trout (we are not in- 

 formed whether it was Trutta fario or Trutta lacusfris) has yielded only 

 very insigniticant results, as, according to the official reports in 1870, 

 seventy one marane and six trout were caught, and in 1871 only four ma- 

 rane. In this connection, however, I would say that fish like the marane 

 and the trout generally stay near the bottom of thelakethegreateri)artof 

 the year, and only rise to the surface during the si)awning season. The 

 results of placing in a lake young fish of these kinds cannot be judged 

 by the number caught occasionally at other seasons, more especially as 

 these fisheries de])eud greatly on the state of the Aveathcr. Observa- 

 tions relative to this question should, therefore, be taken during the 

 spawning season. Whether this was the case as regards the lakes near 

 Nikolsk cannot be learned from Professor Malmgren's pamj^hlet. 



The Nikolsk establishment has evidently proved a failure, and it is 

 probable that it will never reach a flourishing condition, nor will it, 

 owing to its isolated location, ever become suitable for a school of pis- 

 ciculture. The entire undertaking suffers from the circumstance that it 

 was commenced on too large a scale and with a certain financial reck- 

 lessness, instead of starting from a small beginning and gradually being 

 enlarged as it showed signs of prosperity. Nikolsk is one of those un- 

 fortunate institutions which have been established iu an entirely uu- 

 suitable location, but which one does not like to abandon on account of 

 the lai'ge sums expended. Establishments of this kind drag out a sickly 

 existence and are more hurtful than helpful to the cause, as they be- 

 come discouraging examples. 1 therefore agree with Professor Malm- 

 gren iu his unfavorable criticism of the Nikolsk establishment, but this 

 is no reason why he should judge unfavor;!l)ly of tlsh-culturein general. 



