PREFACE. 



I WAS induced to prepare these articles on Fish Culture, for 

 the Ohio Farmer, with the ulterior object of publishing them 

 at some future time in a collected form, which I have now 

 done, believing that as yet there has not been any work 

 on this subject, that fully meets the wants of the American 

 public. 



That there is a great interest felt in America on the 

 subject, I am satisfied, from the fact that I have received 

 numerous letters of inquiry from persons residing in almost 

 every State in the Union. 



I have read with great satisfaction, a work edited and trans- 

 lated by William H. Fry. The work is valuable for the rea* 

 son that it gives a detailed history of the progress that Fish 

 Culture has made in Europe ; besides much information 

 that is valuable in a practical point of view. I am of the 

 opinion, however, that whoever reads it, will agree with me, 

 that it is deficient in some important points, and is adapted, 

 rather to a European than to an American public. One objec- 

 tion, and in my opinion a very material one, is, that with the 

 exception of the Salmo Salar, the habits of not a single Ameri- 

 can fish are given. 



I do not wish however to be understood, that the objections 

 mentioned, render the work valueless, but, on the contrary. 

 that it really possesses great merit, and I most cheerful! v 

 recommend it to every one who feels an interest in this de- 

 partment of human knowledge. 



