8 Report of the American 



food has been brought within the reach of a large class of our people 

 whose poverty previously prevented them from purchasing it. 



The New York Commissioners claim the credit to have been the first 

 to cultivate white-fish artificially. In 1868 Mr. Seth Green, then one of 

 the Commission, obtained a number of white-fish eggs and experimented 

 upon them in various ways and subjected them to various conditions of 

 water, manipulation, and so forth. He then established the fact that 

 they could be hatched in substantial!}- the same manner as trout. The 

 eggs were smaller and more delicate, as were the fry also when brought 

 into existence, but otherwise there was no important difference. As the 

 white-fish of the great lakes had been almost exterminated by indefatig- 

 able pound fishing, the importance of this discovery was appreciated and 

 it was determined to utilize it as far as possible. 



The following year large quantities of the ova were taken and dis- 

 tributed thi'oughout the State to all persons who would hatch them, as 

 there was at that time no State hatching house. Some however remained 

 and these were matured under the care of the Commissioners. In the 

 following year about one million of eggs were obtained and distributed 

 in the same way, but it was not till 1871. when the State Hatching House 

 was completed, that any great strides were made in the increase of this 

 fish. Then some two million white-fish and about an equal number of 

 salmon-trout were hatched and distributed, and from that time to this 

 from two to five millions of each of these varieties have been hatched 

 regularly every year. 



The Commissioners also distributed a large number of black bass, 

 pike-perch, rock-bass and other valuable fish and restocked many of the 

 lakes in this State. The}- have sent one or more of these varieties 

 wherever they were wanted and in sufficient numbers to meet all de- 

 mands. I may safely sa}- that the rivers, lakes, ponds and streams in 

 this State are in a fair way of being all thoroughh- restocked, and I take 

 pride in saving that this has been done at a cost which is absolute!}' 

 trifling. The Commissioners receive no salary, and their expenditures 

 have scarcely, if at all, exceeded S.^,000 a year, while the amount offish- 

 food produced must have been worth millions of dollars. They have 

 sought to perform these duties in a thoroughly practical, business-like 

 way and show a substantial balance to the credit side of tlieir account. 



In conclusion, there is one matter which I wish to submit to you, gen- 

 tlemen, as practical fish culturists, that is, the advisibility of a rotation 

 of crops in fish as in agriculture. We all of us know that when a pond 

 is first built it is remarkably productive and the fish gi-ow rapidly. This 

 has been frequently remarked on Long Island in the building of trout 

 preserves. It has also been noticed in many instances where new varie- 



