8 HOME FISHING AND HOME WATERS. 



study, a rest to his mind, a cheerer of his spirits, a 

 diverter of sadness, a calmer of unquiet thoughts, a 

 moderator of passions, a procurer of contentedness," 

 an employment " that begets habits of peace and 

 patience in those that profess and practice it." 



Governments, both in the States and in the Na- 

 tion, have provided liberally for this new interest of 

 fish culture. The Chinese practiced the art many 

 centuries ago. The Romans understood and devel- 

 oped it. But in our own civilization, it fell into dis- 

 use practically, until about the middle of the last 

 century, when the work was revived and placed up- 

 on a somewhat intelligent footing. In furtherance 

 of these latter day methods, our Federal Govern- 

 ment has provided steamers and other vessels for the 

 prosecution of the fishing interests, both in the ocean 

 and in the interior waters. The electric light is used 

 in submarine exploration. Many of the railroads 

 have given willing assistance to the work of the 

 commissioners, in the distribution of eggs and fry. 

 Fish eggs to the number of many millions are ex- 

 ported annually and distributed in foreign waters. 

 These eggs are chiefly of the brook, California and 

 lake trout, of white fish and salmon. Bass, both of 

 the small and large -mouth variety, have been 

 sent abroad alive. So conspicuous has fish culture 

 become in this country, that Prof. Huxley, at the 

 International Fish Conference in London in 1883, 

 said : " No nation at the present time comprehended 

 the question of dealing with fish in so thorough, ex- 

 cellent and scientific a spirit as the United States." 

 Every year millions of fish are distributed in our 

 rivers and lakes. At the hatcheries, as many as 



