56 FISH CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
During the summer of 1870 I had frequent interviews with 
Mr. A. S. Collins—who was then breeding trout on Caledonia 
Creek, where the New York State Hatching Works now are— 
on this subject, and as my own ponds were only fifteen miles 
east, at Honeoye Falls, we had frequent conversations on the 
subject. I also had several letters from Dr. J. H. Slack, who 
likewise wished a protective organization. Mr. Collins did 
not enter so readily into the establishment of a scale of prices, 
as he had more eggs than either, or perhaps all of us, and more 
than he found ready sale for; still he favored an Association, 
which was formed, but the idea which was entertained in a 
greater or less degree by Dr. Slack, and wholly by myself, 
never was adopted by the Society. 
In October, Dr. Slack wrote that he had corresponded with 
Mr. Livingston Stone, of the ponds at Charlestown, N. H., and 
Mr. William Clift, of Mystic, Conn., and they were inclined 
toward an organization. On November rst, 1870, a call was is- 
sued in several newspapers for a meeting of practical fish-cul- 
turists, to be held in New York city on the zoth of December. 
Thiscall was signed by W. Clift, A. S. Collins, J. H. Slack, F. 
Mather, and L. Stone. The place of meeting was the rooms.of 
the New York Poultry Society, where a temporary organization 
was formed, with W. Clift as Chairman, and Livingston Stone as 
Secretary. 
Dr. M. C. Edmonds and Mr. Stone were appointed to draft a 
constitution, which upon presentation was adopted, and the fol- 
lowing officers elected for one year: William Clift, President ; 
Livingston Stone, Secretary ; Benjamin F. Bowles, Treasurer. 
Nothing more was accomplished at this meeting, and it 
adjourned to meet again at Albany, in connection with the an- 
nual exhibition of the Poultry Society, nearly fourteen months 
later, on February 7th and 8th, 1872. 
This meeting at the Globe Hotel, on the corner of State and 
Pearl streets, Albany, was the first annual meeting of the As- 
sociation, and deserves to be recorded as one of the most im- 
portant in its history, as during the first day’s session Mr. 
George Shepard Page introduced a resolution that a committee 
be appointed to draft and present to Congress a memorial, ask- 
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