68 Thirfy-niulh Annual Meeting 



pul)Iicati()n known to me in the English hmguage any general 

 account of tlie epidemics caused by parasites of various kinds 

 or ])y diseases due to injurious Ixicteria, which are so abun- 

 dant in the fresh A\aters. \\Miene\'er a i)ractical fish culturist 

 desires to inform himself on a suJjject of such grave import- 

 ance, he must either consult the Handbiich of Dr. Bruno 

 Hofer, [jublished in German)- in 1904, or search through the 

 thousands of publications issued in the last half century by 

 federal and state governments, and in the transactions of 

 learned societies. This in\olves a tax upon the time and in- 

 telligence of the fish culturist which he should not be ex- 

 pected to endure. 



In the list of papers I have in some cases made an abstract 

 of the author's recommendations. I have done this for the 

 benefit of those fish culturists who have not time to read a 

 mass of literature. I am sorry to have to confess that wher- 

 ever one ma}' turn for information, he will as a rule soon dis- 

 cover that while the disease may be described in a way, in 

 most cases the cause of the disease and its treatment are 

 either incompletely mentioned, or not mentioned at all. 



I am well aware that the number of investigators in this 

 important field is very small, and that nearly all of the men 

 who are qualified to conduct these studies are engaged in 

 other duties which may appear to be more important, and, at 

 the same time, more remunerative to the investigator. This 

 is a matter which should not be lightly considered or wrongly 

 considered. The laborer is worth}' of his hire, and if he can- 

 not secure the returns so essential for his welfare in one 

 direction, he is in duty bound to seek another field giving 

 promise of suitable reward. Our scientific men associated 

 with the study of the culture of the animal and plant life of 

 the waters are verv busy with their inxestigations in fields 

 near and remote, and their work is winning well-merited ap- 

 l)lause at home and aljroad. The}- are laboring under one (^f 

 the greatest difticulties which attends scientific work, namel}-. 

 scant appropriations. It seems to me i)erfect]y proj^er to 

 state that the allotment for scientific intjiu'rv in general is in- 



