enough to properly feed them, or pursue a system of artificial feeding 

 seldom practical to the farmer. Other fishes which abound with us 

 make better pond fish and far better results can be obtained by their 

 introduction. C'rop[)ie, sunfish, and catfish (when cari) are not de- 

 sired) do well in ponds of limited area. However, if it is thought to 

 be di'sirable to build ponds for fish cultural purjjoses, the intent be- 

 ing to follow it in a practical manner, we have under a separate head 

 published a paper by Mr. J. L. Leary, Supt. U. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion Station of San Marcos, Texas, and read before the American 

 Fisheries Society at the meeting at Atlantic City, to which we ask your 

 attention. Under proper head we have given a list of fishes distrib- 

 uted by us during seasons of 1^3-4. 



The plants in season of 1903 ranged from 100 to 300 fish: wc^re 

 nearly all two year old bass and one year old croppie. 



In season of 1904 ranged from 100 to l.(XX^; fish were smaller. The 

 pike perch fry very small, being only a few days old when distributed. 



In addition to the above i^lants, 361 private applicants were sup- 

 plied in numbers from fifty to 200 fish. In making most of these 

 plants we used by permission the U S. Fish Commission's cars and 

 crews. It would have been simply impossible to have covered the 

 ground with ordinary means used, that is, cans in baggage cars with 

 messengers, for the reason that the space used in the baggage cars 

 could not be given us and our appropriation would not have covered 

 the expense. 



It is gratifying to your commissioners to learn from the greater 

 portion of the State covered by these plants that the increase is noted, 

 and if we can form any estimate from the number of applicants we 

 have on our books yet not supplied, the interest in pond culture must 

 be largely on the increase. 



Not every attempt to cultivate fish on the farm has been a success; 

 failures are numerous, but as our people are educated iip to the point 

 of knowing that fish farming like everything else must be carried on 

 intelligently and requires good care when best results are to be ob- 

 tained, failures will be less. 



The policy of the commission has been to supply j)ublic waters 

 first and then so far as we can, private applicantsi 



