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increase them to an almest unlimited extent. I do not profesi 

 any keen relish for them as food, but I have noticed that at the 

 most successful fisheries in the State, they always were taken off 

 and sold or eaten on the beach. They subsist by suction, liv- 

 ing on decayed matter, animal and vegetable, and could exist 

 by thousands above the present number and not only find an 

 abundance of food but would consume that which would not 

 otherwise be utilized. There are some who regard sturgeon as 

 a good article of food and others pronounce it a delicacy. I am 

 very positive that no article of food is more wholesome and the 

 oil from them is always utilized and sells for a price that is al- 

 ways sufficient to insure its being boiled out. In my opinion it 

 can be made of equal value with any other fish in our waters. 



Under this head I will here state that the people of this com- 

 monwealth are making so many urgent requests for fish for pri- 

 vate ponds, that it becomes my duty to call the fact to the atten- 

 tion of your Board. Acting under the requirements of the present 

 law, creating and setting forth the operations of this part of 

 your Department, it has been conceived to be right, to handle 

 only such fish as were of greatest commercial value and of great- 

 est importance to the people at large. That we should not be 

 enabled to aid in perfecting the efforts of individuals, who have 

 recently become enlivened to the the importance of enriching 

 their waters, is a matter of regret. Parties all over the State have 

 built ponds for this purpose and others who hare fine sheets of 

 water are constantly making application. In view of the fact 

 that many of the percoid family of fishes already in our waters, 

 are of fine flavor and respectable size, and could with a moder- 

 ate sum be propagated at a hatchery in some eastern or midland 

 county with vety great success, I take the liberty of calling 

 the matter up, hoping that it may receive your commendation 

 and that of the people, so that when the next General Assembly 

 convenes we may have our field enlarged and our labors made 

 profitable in almost every township throughout the State. 



