locally by pond cultivation and such supplies would find 

 convenient home markets. 



It is possible for the private citizen to obtain pond fishes 

 for breeding purposes, but he needs assistance and direc- 

 tion. Object lessons on approved methods of fish culture 

 could be obtained by visiting public hatcheries, but this 

 is not likely to be undertaken. It would be advantageous 

 to the country if state fish commissions generally could 

 supply the coarser fishes; for cultivation in private waters 

 and furnish the public free information as to the methods 

 to be followed. 



State fish commissions should not only prepare inexpen- 

 sive pamphlets on the cultivation of common fishes, but 

 see that they reach many communities and be announced 

 and reviewed by the rural press everywhere. Model 

 ponds distributed about the state for demonstrative work 

 would, of course, be educational, like agricultural col- 

 leges and state experiment farms. I am not prepared to 

 set forth the best means of doing this work, perhaps no 

 two states would undertake it the same way. 



I am convinced that some of the energy put into the 

 production of fry is misdirected. The output is amazing ; 

 six billions last year by the National Bureau and perhaps 

 as njuch more by the states. Practically all of it is hur- 

 ried into the nearest river and none of it raised. We are 

 all going about the same thing and have settled into the 

 rut of fish hatching in hatchery buildings. No one is doing 

 anything new except as connected with the competition 

 for increased output. 



Having practiced these wholesale methods for two or 

 three decades, let us now consider whether we might not 

 profit by a little less fish hatching and a little more fish 

 raising. Does salvation lie only in a multiplicity of ex- 

 pensive federal and state hatcheries? If our fishery es- 

 tablishments were equipped to raise and market one per 

 cent of the fry now being hatched and liberated, might 

 not the quanity of food thus produced exceed that which 

 eventually reaches market by the way of public waters? 

 Let us simplify our art and teach it to the people, for they 

 can surely help in the production of fish food. 



On Stream Pollution. 



We have not only disregarded our fresh waters in most 

 of these respects, but we have carelessly permitted them 

 to become polluted. The pollution of public waters is 

 our most common act and our most uncivilized practice. 



41 



