Anicrican Fisheries Society 151 



5111(1 seventy-six odd thousand, which was a gain in less than ten 

 rears from an eighteen thousand catch; while from that year, 

 from 1889, down to the present time our stocking of shad has 

 been less and less every year, and the catch on the river has been 

 less e\ery year. Xow to my mind it proves conclusively the 

 benefit of stocking — of holding the shad fry in retaining ponds, 

 away from their natural enemies, until they have reached three, 

 five or six inches in length, then allowed to go down into the 

 salt water. Furthermore, years ago. l)efore I went on the com- 

 mission, a great many shad fry were hatched on the Connecticut 

 river and on the Housatonic. A great many were secured from 

 the United States government and planted at Housatonic, thou- 

 sands more than were caught. And yet, the shad in that river 

 are gone forever, and we cannot get them back, not even with 

 the retaining pond, to be self-supporting. I am thoroughly con- 

 vinced and Ijelieve in the system of the retaining ponds for 

 shad. Onr river shows it. According to the number of shad 

 fry you ])ut into those ponds and release in the fall, the catch 

 in the course of three or five years increases. 



Mr. Clark : I did not suppose it was possible for me to keep 

 my seat as long as I have wlien the question of fry vs. finger- 

 lings was discussed. And I do not suppose that any of my 

 friends here thought it was possil)le. But I have done so, and 

 I have not felt at all like getting up and discussing this ques- 

 tion. For twenty-five years this question has come up more or 

 less. I think, if I am right, that T was the first one that ever 

 brought it up liefore the meeting of the .American Fisheries 

 Society at New York City. At that time I was firmly convinced 

 and positive that there was nothing right about planting fry. 

 Like my brother Geer here, I am frankly willing to listen to the 

 fry man, — and, gentlemen, you that advocate planting fry are 

 right; and gentlemen, you that advocate planting fingerlings 

 are right. It is only a question of the fish and the place. Kow, 

 this fingerling vs. fry question is discussed from time to time, 

 but we all are of the same opinion still. (Applause.) 



Mr. Titcomh : I am not talking this time on the fry vs. 

 fingerling question quite. It seems to me, Mr. Geer's argument 

 on the shad question is not entirely fry vs. fingerlings. It is 



