400 A Plea/or Sea fisheries. Ciiait. xxti. 



assistance in the supply of new specimens rendered, so that he may 

 make his work as complete as possible. Our business is the eating 

 of fish by the masses, and for want of a better term, I will call our 

 way to it practical pisciculture. 



80. But I do not propose any fish cultivation in the sea, for the 

 sea needs no culture, only harvesting; and the harvesting properly 

 conducted is in itself a means of culture. It is a general and 

 obviously necessary rule in nature, that the predatory class* 8 

 propagate their species less rapidly than those preyed on. It 

 follows that improved fishing, if applied equally to both classes of 

 fish, must most affect the class that has the less power of recouping 

 itself, to wit, the predatory. The result is increased immunity and 

 multiplication of the minor species, and thus it comes about that in 

 large measure, man takes the place of predatory fish, or, in other 

 words, the Fishery is improved. 



81. Neither do I propose artificial cultivation of the fresh- 

 water fish, but rather assistance of the natural reproduction by 

 protection from wholesale poisoning, by regulation of the size of the 

 mesh, and other protection of fry from indiscriminate slaughter. 

 The best practical methods of applying such protection, and 

 adapting their details to various rivers will have to be Studied. 



82. For harvesting tbe sea, I think it would be well to have an 

 experimental and model Farm. It is found necessary in agri- 

 culture, and I think that in this country it is equally necessary in 

 aquiculture or pisciculture. I think it is necessary that we should 

 show the native fishermen what can be captured by our English 

 methods. We may talk as long as we like about trawls and tints, 

 and so forth, but they will not give practical heed to us till they 

 see the fish brought ashore. Then they may wish to know more 

 about them, and then we should be able to show them the impli - 

 meuts in work, and allow them to copy them exactly. 



83. But 1 would wish to guard against the thoughtless plunging 

 into English, Dutch, or French means of capture, without first 

 thoroughly studying their suitability to Indian seas, and men, and 

 means. I am inclined to think that one reason why agriculture has 

 for ten long years made so very little progress in this Presidency ;.t 

 hast, if not in other parts of India, is that it commenced by too 

 little regarding the native and the country, and aiming at the in- 

 troduction of a too full blown and English stereotyped agriculture. 



