Fish, Fishmg and Fisheries of Pennsylvania. 79 



Of this hatchery William BuUer, the head of the hatchery at Oorry, 

 was given the superintendency, which dual position he yet holds with 

 credit to himself and the state. Two years later the same number were 

 hatched and deposited in the waters of Lake Erie. 



In the three succeeding years 35,570,000 fry were hatched and dis- 

 tributed. 



This work, in connection with that of. Michigan and Ohio, had a 

 wonderful and inspiriting effect, and created a revolution in the fishing 

 industries of Lake Erie. In 1886 the catch of white fish only amounted 

 to 61,500 pounds, while in 1888 the catch leaped to the astonishing 

 amount of 2,200,000 pounds. The money value of the total catch of the 

 Erie fisheries in 1886 was but $175,200. In 1888 it was $304,680, a dif- 

 ference of $129,480. This condition of affairs has increased, and last 

 year the valuation of the catch was placed at more than half a million 

 dollars. 



As evidence of what is thought of the work of the fish commission in 

 connection with Lake Erie, the following letter to Mr. Ford, president 

 of the present commission, from Mr. E. D. Carter, a prominent business 

 man of Erie, is submitted: 



"Deae Sik: I enclose you a statement of the fish industries at Erie, 

 Pa., and amount of catch for the season of 1888, and I flatter myself 

 that it shows our industry at Erie to be in a most prosperous condition, 

 and I am satisfied that the large increase in the catch of fish is the 

 result of re-stocking from our hatchery and from the great work done 

 by the states of Ohio and Michigan. 



"Our catch of white fish, you Avill see, is fully double of what it was 

 in the seasons of 1883, 1884, 1885 and 1886. Tliose in the business, 

 after the very poor fishing of those seasons, had concluded to give up 

 fishing for white fish, but the increased catch of white fish of 1887 

 changed the opinion of those engaged in the business and they con- 

 tinued the work, and from the result of this work the price has been 

 reduced fully one-third and has brought this food from a luxury to one 

 of the cheapest foods that a poor man can procure for his table, and my 

 opinion is that this is entirely from the work of artificial hatching. 



Yours respectfully, 



B. D. Cabteb." 



But the hatching of white flsh was not the only work carried on at 

 the Erie station. Large numbers of pike-perch were also incubated. At 

 first in this work some difficulty was encountered, but was soon over- 

 come, and owing to the rapidity with which the eggs of this species of 

 fish incubate, large numbers were hatched and deposited, not only in 

 Lake Erie, but in other waters of the commonwealth.- In 1889, 8,900,000 

 were planted in the Juniata, Spruce creek, Susquehanna river, Delaware 

 river and Warden's creek. In 1890 the number was increased to 13,545,- 



