8 
in making his plants, and if he knows his waters, what 
they contain, and for what they are suited, he can secure 
a larger measure of success. 
This work of examination, if carefully ahi and cor- 
rectly reported and filed, is invaluable for future reference, 
and is of the greatest aid in making future distributions. 
A reference to such report at once discloses whether the 
kinds of fish applied for are fitted for the waters mentioned 
in the application. If they are not, the grounds of refusal 
are at hand by which the applicant may be convinced of 
his mistake, and fish suitable for his waters can thus be 
furnished him. 
The attention of most of our Fish Commissions has up to 
this time been chiefly directed to the propagation and dis- 
tribution of the finer edible varieties of fish of the sal- 
mon family. The ova of these fish is easily treated, 
and presents but few obstacles to their manipulation, and 
a large percentage of fertilizationis secured. No faultcan 
be found with the carrying on of this work, and it is of the 
utmost importance that it should be continued and en- 
larged, but we should not rest contented with this work 
alone. <A broader field than this is open to the fishcultur- 
ist, and cannot be entered upon too soon. Many of our 
spring spawning fish are of great value commercially, others 
of excellent quality are objects of the angler’s pursuit, 
and are among the best fish which our inland waters pro- 
duce. The exceeding viscidity of their ova presents diffi- 
culties to successful handling when artificially impreg- 
nated, but the value of these fish, and the necessity that 
they should be objects of the fishculturist’s attention, 
should urge us to give them the attention they demand. 
The physical difficulties to be overcome in the treatment of 
the ova renders it difficult and sometimes discouraging to 
the operator, but these difficulties it is the duty of the fish- 
culturist to overcome. The popularity of the small- 
mouthed black bass as the game fish of our inland lakes 
