THE PRESENT STATUS OF 
TROUT CULTURE. 
By Wo. P. SEAL. 
Trout culture may truthfully be said to have been, 
since its inception, the great fishcultural school. 
Whatever doubts may have existed in the past regard- 
ing the fundamental and underlying principles of fish- 
culture, they no longer have a place in the minds of 
those who are cognizant of the present aspects and 
results of the development of the science. Fishculture 
is no longer on the defensive, but stands to-day showing” 
economic results not achieved by any other branch of 
public work. Whatever attacks are yet made upon it. 
are levelled at trout culture generally. _It sometimes hap- 
pens that other branches of fishculture are assailed be- 
cause of the effects of local changes in catch and distri- 
bution of fish induced by changes in fishing methods, as 
with the shad; and because these are not understood by 
the general public who do not see beyond their local 
fishing interests. 
It is one of the misfortunes of our political system 
that for partizan advantage we often find a great deal of 
fault with everything originating with our political oppo- 
nents, and that we are not satisfied to applaud unless the 
beneficial results of a public policy can be properly cre- 
dited to our own particular party. We often differ on 
important public questions for no better reason, and with 
our legislators this often stands for statesmanship. It is 
probable, however, that there is in general less of parti- 
zanship in the support of fishcultural measures, and more 
of a common bond of fellowship among those interested 
in fishprotection and fishculture, than may be found in 
almost any other field of contemporary human interest. 
This is as it should be, and the bond should be strength- 
ened, and the unholy leaven of partizanship cast out as 
unworthy of a place in the minds of men working in a 
