The culture of fish has been gradually extended from 

 one species to another until we have a fair idea of what 

 can be done in all cases, and those even who try new ex- 

 periments have much to guide them, and can, up to a 

 certain point tread with assured footsteps. At first the 

 only species treated by the artificial method was the sal- 

 mon, the most valuable and highly prized ; thereafter the 

 process was applied to trout, then to shad and after- 

 ward to whitefish, lake-trout, herring, perch, bass, striped 

 bass, bturgeon and many others with more or less suc- 

 cess. The greatest promise for purely artificial manipu- 

 lation is with the salmon, the trout, the lake-trout and 

 the shad, but the close study of the habits of other varie- 

 ties which followed the attempts with them have so fa- 

 miliarized the fishculturists with the necesities of their 

 growth and increase that a subsidiary branch of fish-cul- 

 ture has grown up in which the natural process is assist- 

 ed, protected and developed. This incidental method 

 has yielded benefits that, allowing for the difference of labor 

 and money expended, approach those reached through the 

 more scientific and intricate management of the higher 

 classes of fish. All these processes will be considered, ex- 

 plained and fully detailed in order that the utmost benefit 

 may be received by the reader from the knowedge acquir- 

 ed by more than twenty years of study and experiment in 

 the production and growth of fish. We believe that we can 

 safely say that the authors of this book have had a hun- 

 dred fold more experience in pisciculture than any other 

 persons in this country, arid that by them, or under their 

 control, the most important inventions and discover- 

 ies have been made, either in the best methods of im- 

 pregnating and hatching the eggs, or in protecting, 

 transporting and growing the fish. They have been 

 practically engaged in fish culture since its introduction 



