37 
stood methods of trout culture than by any other means. 
It has been in fact the nursery, the kindergarten, and col- 
lege of fishculture. But for the persistence with which 
it was followed by a few enthusiasts, while many fell out 
by the way, fishculture to-day would’be still looked upon 
as an impracticable dream. 
To-day trout culture has become largely supplementary 
to much greater branches of fishculture, but as a training 
school in the handling of fish it is yet paving the way to 
still greater fishcultural triumphs. The knowledge that 
is being gained by experiments in hybridization, accli- 
matization (transfer and adaptation), the studies upon 
the variation and modifications of species under changed 
conditions, although not as systematic and well sustained 
as is desirable, are of great value as observations and 
training which will have an influence and bearing on 
other phases of fishculture as they may be developed in 
the future. 
The economical handling of live fish, once so difficult, is 
rapidly being reduced to a science largely through the ex- 
periences of trout distribution, they being among the most 
difficult fish to transport. The keeping of trout in 
aquaria has been revolutionized by reason of experiment 
in this direction, the use of ice now not being considered 
necessary under a temperature of seventy-five degrees. 
The treatment of diseases of fish and the destruction 
of fungus on them is making progress mainly through 
the handling of trout. 
These, of course, may be considered as minor points 
only among the beneficial aspects of trout culture. The 
most important argument to be advanced is that it is be- 
lieved by all who are familiar with the subject that from 
a financial standpoint the aggregate of trout used for food 
in the United States could pay many times the sums 
devoted to their propagation. There is no question but that 
for artificial propagation they would have long since been 
exterminated. As from the very nature of the methods 
