the Kankakee river. So, from all parts of the State, an increase 

 in all varieties of native fish, the product of our planting, has 

 been reported. In the absence of statistics, it is very difficult, of 

 course, to determine just what ratio of increase has been attained, 

 as adverse seasons, the taking of fish by unlawful means, and the 

 renewed interest which seems to have l3een taken in rod and line 

 fishing, during the last few years, have all conspired to decrease 

 the annual supply. 



Some idea of the effect the use of rod and line may have upon 

 the general supply through the State, may be gained from facts 

 which have come under our personal observation and knowledge. 

 At Quincy, Illinois, in the bay back of the C, B. & Q. stock 

 yards, the water is (juite deep, and lying there all season have 

 been a number of sunken flat boats and barges. In ten days 

 time, there were taken from that one point, over ten thousand fish. 

 It has been no unusual thing to see strings of 35 to 50 white 

 bass and wall-eyed pike, to one angler, the fish being, too, of 

 good size. This state of things is, however, new to that locality. 



It has been estimated that, in early spring, five hundred fisher- 

 men could have been counted in one day, upon the river and bay 

 front, at, above and below Quincy, and, as a general thing, all 

 successful in their catches. We have been able to gain some idea 

 of the growth and increase in native fish, by observation of the 

 results in the inland ponds stocked by the commission. 



Taking the results of their culture in ponds, we may form some 

 estimate of what the increase would be in streams, where all the 

 natural conditions would seem even more favorable, as there would 

 be the natural supply of food, and the proper conditions present, 

 for the deposit of the spawn, and the feeding and caring for the 

 fry. We will cite a few instances of the results in ponds planted 

 by the commission: 



At Lanesville, eighteen miles east of Springfield, upon a farm 

 owned by Mr. F. K. Whittemore, of Springfield, the Wabash R. 

 R. Co. built a reservoir, by making an embankment across a nat- 

 ural ravine, which, by backing up the water about one-half mile, 

 caused the formation of a lake of about eight acres area, being 

 about six feet deep at deepest point, and running out to nothing 

 at upper end and sides. 



This, Mr. Whittemore, who reserved the fishing and boating 

 privileges, provided at its outlet, which was through a culvert, 

 with a wire screen, and obtained of our commission a few tanks 

 of native fish, and some carp fry. This was in the fall of 1882 

 and spring of 1883. In the summer of 1887, which, as we have 

 before noted, was an extraordinarily hot and drj' one, the water 

 became very low, partly from evaporation and partly from the use 

 of it by railroad company, and fearing that fish would be lost, 

 Mr. Whittemore decided to take them out. Sending over a gang 

 of our men. with seine, we undertook to take them out, and trans- 

 fer them. This we found impracticable, however, as the number 



