442 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF PISH AND FISHERIES. [6] 



FRANCE. 



Professor Malmgren, referring to the review of the history of artificial 

 fish-culture in France, contained in Blancharil's work " Les jwissons dcs 

 eanxdouces de la France ^^ ["Freshwater Fish of France"], (Paris, ISGO), 

 remarks that the sudden interest in fish^culture wliich had been awak- 

 ened about 1850 had, after many disappointments, already abnost died 

 out prior to 1870; and in this opinion I must entirely agree witli him. 

 But when he attempts to use this fact in depreciating artificial iisli- 

 culture in general, he proves himself prejudiced and iiisuflicieidly in- 

 formed. 



There are two reasons why artificial fish-culture in France did not 

 reabze the hopes, which it must be confessed were of the most extrav- 

 agant kind, entertained by many Frenchmen. 



The first is the spring water theory. Nurtured by mere booklearniug, 

 this theory became the Alpha and Omega of the artificial cnltiire of the 

 salmonoids, which was at that time aimed at almost exclusively. It 

 was thought that keeping the hatching water at as even a tempera- 

 ture as possible was an essential condition for the development of the 

 eggs and young fish. Hence the endeavors to obtain tlie spring water 

 as near its source as possible, and to carry it through tubes or i)iiics, 

 so it might not lose any of its warmth. The evils resulting from this 

 spring water theory I have already referred to above, under tlie Itead 

 of Russia. The great Government establishment atlluningen ^^as the 

 representative and advocate of this theory ; and in this respect it has 

 exercised a positively hurtful influence on the development of artifi- 

 cial fish-culture, not only in France, but also in other countries. We 

 would be able to chronicle far greater results if fish-culture had not 

 for twenty years, 1850 to 1870, been absolutely governed by this spring 

 water theory. How were matters managed in Huningen during this 

 period? Towards the end of December, at the latest during the first 

 days in January, the shipping of the winter fish-eggs, which had been ' 

 impregnated so as to become visible to the naked eye, was generally 

 finished.* As the persons to whom these eggs were shipped ibllowed 

 the e'xample of Huningen and also operated with spring water, the 

 young fish which were raised had generally lost their umbilical sacs 

 about the middle of February, and had either to be placed in open 

 waters, or to be fed artificially in the various establishments. The diili- 

 culties arising from this method have already been mentioned under 

 the head of Russia. It is therefore by no means a matter of surprise 

 that many of the fish raised in this unnatural manner i)erished, and 

 that no results of any importance could be chronicled. 



The second cause why fish-culture in France did not make sufficient 



* After Huningen iiassed into the possession of Germany strong endeavors Lave 

 been made to remedy tliose evils, and during late years great progress Las been made 

 in tbiB direction. 



