CHAPTEE I 

 INTRODUCTORY 



FISH culture of a certain kind dates from 

 very early times, but its scientific develop- 

 ment has only come about quite recently. Most 

 people know that in our own country the monks 

 had stew ponds, where they kept fish, principally 

 carp, and also that the Eomans kept fish in 

 ponds. In the latter case we hear more often of 

 the eel than of other fish. The breeding of trout 

 and salmon, and the artificial spawning and 

 hatching of ova, are, however, an innovation of 

 our own time. 



Much has been discovered about the pro- 

 creation of fish, and in no case have scientists 

 worked so hard and discovered more than in the 

 case of Salmonidce. Fish culture, particularly 

 trout culture, has become a trade, and a paying 

 one. To any one who has the least idea of the 

 difficulties to be overcome in rearing Salmonidce, 



1 B 



