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there was a difference of opinion with regard to the means 

 to be adopted to this end, but, for his part, he advocated 

 the protection of fish in every possible way, as well as of 

 assistance to those engaged in artificial production. In 

 Canada this subject was of very great importance. It was 

 now some years ago since artificial culture was introduced 

 by himself, with the recognition of the Government, and 

 now they stood second to no other country with regard to it. 

 The number of Salmon they turned out annually was not 

 exceeded by any other country in the world. During the 

 last two years from thirty-five to forty millions of Salmonidae 

 had been turned into the waters of Canada through the 

 artificial process, and, though there were no doubt sceptics 

 and others who were inimical to the science of fish culture, 

 he thought that could only arise from ignorance of the 

 benefits to be derived from it. At first sight it seemed 

 extraordinary that fish could be produced by artificial 

 means ; but it was a most simple process when understood. 

 Fish were so prolific, that man with a little ingenuity could 

 produce from them far more than nature could herself, 

 because it was a well-known fact that large quantities of 

 the eggs of the fish family were destroyed by other species. 

 This was the ordained law ; it was intended that fish 

 should live on fish, because if all the eggs of fish were 

 permitted to hatch out, there would be no room in the 

 waters for them. Consequently, nature had provided wisely 

 that fish should live on one another, and this being the 

 case, large numbers of ova must be consumed. Under 

 artificial culture, however, where the egg was protected 

 from its enemies, a larger percentage could be brought to 

 maturity than by the natural process. Hence, if it could 

 be shown that 75 per cent, of the eggs could produce living 

 fish, the system ought to be encouraged by all intelligent 



