56 TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING 



the society membership. But they do not reach the masses. 

 To do this, a means of interesting the people is suggested by 

 illustrating the fisheries and the methods of artificial propa- 

 gation. The camera is in almost every household; the means 

 of obtaining proper illustrations are thus made simple. From 

 appropriate photographic negatives lantern slides can be 

 obtained at a reasonable cost in any large city. Many ama- 

 teurs and camera clubs are doing this kind of work very suc- 

 cessfully. 



The illustrations presented tonight are merely suggestive 

 of what can be accomplished. Any attempt to illustrate the 

 work of the United States and the various State Fish Commis- 

 sions in the short time at my disposal would be misleading. 

 To go into details about the various pictures presented upon 

 the canvas before a society of fish culturists and scientists 

 would be presumptive. I will, therefore, ask you to view the 

 subjects thrown upon the canvas as merely suggestive. I have 

 used them in my own State to instruct the people as to what 

 is being done within its borders and, at the same time, let 

 them see of how little importance is our work compared with 

 the work throughout the United States. I strive to show them 

 the importance of fostering the resources which they now en- 

 joy and which would be completely annihilated in a short time 

 were it not for artificial propagation. 



As Vermont is the natural home of the brook and lake trout, 

 the black bass and (by introduction) the land-locked salmon, 

 the propagation of game fishes naturally engages her attention 

 more than the development of her commercial fisheries. Ver- 

 mont's fishery resources are being developed for the purpose of 

 attracting the summer tourists and thus the propagation of 

 the game fishes is a profitable business proposition. 



I will first illustrate trout culture as conducted by the U. S. 

 Fish Commission in Vermont:* 



To illustrate trout culture, photographs of field stations 

 where the wild trout are captured and the various methods of 

 capture are interesting. A photograph of the natural spawn- 

 ing bed makes an instructive picture. An explanation of how 

 this was obtained will enable others to repeat the experiment 

 successfully. This photograph represents a spawning bed of 

 the wild trout in three feet of water near the shore of a lake. 

 It is necessary to exclude the light between the lens and the 

 surface of the w^ter in order to secure a good photograph. 

 A crockery barrel inverted over the bed with lens exposed 

 through a hole in the inverted bottom was used. The barrel 



*(Foot Note.— The preceding is Mr. Titcomb's opening address, which was followed 

 by 100 lantern slides briefly explained. What follows Is designed for printing in the 

 transactions of the society as a suggestion to those who would take up similar 

 work but suited to the needs of the communities where the illustrations are to be 

 explained.) 



