Aiiicrlcdii Fishcrirs Society. -1-3 



family don't like iiii' to do siu-li things; Init I will tell you what 

 you can do, you may call on Smitli, he likes that sort of thing.'* 

 I will, therefore, call on Dr. Snnth. as the representative of Mr. 

 Bowers. (Applause.) 



Dr. Smith: ]\[r. Toastmaster. Ladies and Gentlemen: this is 

 a mean trick, (laughter) and 1 ])]-omise you that I will get even 

 with Commissioner Bowers one of tliese days. I want to take as 

 the subject of my toast an epistle 1 got a short time ago from a 

 citizen of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It was more than 

 a coincidence, perhaps almost an inspiration, that on the eve of 

 my departure from Washington to Erie, I should receive a letter, 

 which I l)elieve will rank as one of the most remarkable docu- 

 ments that has ever passed through the United States mails. 

 It is quite evident that this communication was intended for the 

 consideration of the members of the American Fisheries' So- 

 ciety, but it contains some matters of local interest, which lead 

 me to believe that it should finally reach the department of fish- 

 eries of Pennsylvania. This is the communication, — and one of 

 the special features about it is that the postal authorities, realiz- 

 ing the firm hold that Pennsylvanians have on Uncle Sam, were 

 willing that this should go through the mails without a postage 

 stamp, (laughter) but that is not all — the form of this letter 

 certainly deserves consideration. It is on two sheets, which T 

 will now exhibit. (Laughter.) More remarkable than the form 

 is the matter. I shall have to withhold the name of the cor- 

 respondent, also his address, because somebody might become 

 offended ; but I should like to read this letter and leave it to you 

 to ponder over : — "Can't you raise salt water fish in fresh water 

 rivers and cross them in ponds in Pennsylvania ? Can't we cros- 

 the herring that run up rivers with the shad and make them 

 larger? Put in fresh water ponds gradually, do it gradually. 

 We have fruit crossed and made to grow larger. AVe have horses, 

 birds, etc. crossed for better stock. In California a man is 

 crossing fruits and flowers, using hypodermics of sap and 

 blood. Try a hypodermic syringe. Cedar and pine, evergreen 

 trees, saps into maples to make them keep in leaf all winter, 

 and make a manure that will make cedar trees, arbor vitae, 

 gum trees, and persimmon trees grow faster. Send me word. 



