Oshurn. — Science and Practice in Fisheries Work 73 



by the occasional visits of superintendents and other officials 

 to the men in the field or at the hatcheries. Many of our 

 game protectors are doing good work in educating the people 

 along the line of conservation, and in some states, at least, the 

 sportsmen's associations afford excellent channels for the dis- 

 semination of information of certain kinds. Much more 

 might be done in this way with proper organization. 



Again, in the matter of publicity, we have the occasional 

 reports and bulletins from government and state sources, while 

 in the agricultural work, there are floods of such bulletins 

 touching every phase of practical work and setting forth 

 every new idea and every result of modern research. Through 

 the agricultural extension service these touch every part of 

 the country. 



Now, it is perfectly evident that, in fisheries work, we 

 cannot meet the agriculturists on any such program. Even 

 if we had all the necessary funds for government, provincial, 

 or state work, we should still be unable to carry out fully such 

 a plan, because we lack the number of men trained to such 

 duties. While for years the agricultural colleges have been 

 turning out large numbers of men, and experiment station 

 employees, county agents, etc., are all college men with special 

 training for their work, our fisheries departments have of 

 necessity been manned by men of practical experience only, 

 most of whom have grown up in the work from the position 

 of untrained assistant. Many of these are very able men, 

 educated in the university of hard knocks, and the great body 

 of our Society is made up of them. They probably know their 

 limitations better than anyone else and whether a more liberal 

 education would not have benefited them. 



If we could begin right now and fill all vacancies with 

 young men of scientific education, I am sure we would notice 

 a great improvement, after these men had added experience 

 to education. But we haven't the men nor, in most cases, 

 sufficient funds to make positions attractive to them. Such 



