58 Fish Culturists Association 



may be done hereafter with the fish Prof. Baird has brought 

 from the Pacific coast. 



Mr. Green drew my attention a few moments ago to the 

 display of fish in your Aquarium. There are a number of 

 speckled-trout, specimens of salmon brought from Lake 

 Ontario, and specimens of California salmon, there. Mr. Green 

 tells me that the fish in the tank below are the fish he obtained 

 from me ; the eggs he received from me some four years ago, 

 and they have grown to a handsome size. Your Government 

 may lend a helping hand and benefit the people at large ; but it 

 is absurd for an individual to take up the enterprise of fish 

 culture with the idea of making money independent of govern- 

 mental protection. As to speckled-trout, of course a man may 

 have his preserves, where he may have a few fish ; but when you 

 come to the question of raising fish for the consumption of the 

 millions, then it becomes a work for the Government, because 

 the fish, and especially the salmon, migrates to the lake or the 

 ocean, and whatever is done must be done pro bono publico. The 

 individual cannot reap the reward of his labors which he is 

 entitled to. I therefore believe it is the duty of every State 

 government in this immense country to foster and carry on the 

 work of fish culture as much as they possibly can. No indi- 

 vidual can afford to spend a large sum of money in rearing fish, 

 and then turn them out, when they will be killed or destroyed 

 immediately afterwards. If it is necessary to propagate them 

 at all, it is necessary to preserve them and to protect them. 



The culture of fish is one which has been a labor of love 

 with me. I have been engaged in it many years, and the more 

 I see of it the more I like it, and the more I desire to do. It is 

 a subject which should engage the attention, not only of Canada 

 and the United States, but the world ; and I am pleased to find 

 that in nearly every civilized nation the Government is engaged 



