14 



But if with comparatively little care and expense our 

 great rivers can be stocked, in the meanwhile there is 

 room enough for private enterprise. There are few farm- 

 ers in our country who do not have upon their land a lake, 

 or spring, or clear running stream. If these men knew 

 how easily they could turn this water to profit, not 

 only by raising food for themselves, but a supply for 

 the city and village market, there would soon be very 

 few waters without their finny inhabitants. How much 

 this would add to the wealth of the country any one 

 can see at a glance. 



Fish culture is not a matter either wholly of public or 

 private interest, in part it is one, in part the other. The 

 great lakes, the immense rivers, the long line of ocean 

 coast can only be restocked by governmental aid and 

 for the general good, but the private ponds, the small 

 streams and the individual fisheries are to be replenished 

 by private effort, and for the special benefit of their own- 

 ers. As the shad are probably the best and most val- 

 uable fish for the public, so is the trout wherever it 

 belongs or can be acclimatized the most desirable for indi-^ 

 vidual purposes. The shad yields the largest amount of 

 food while the trout holds the highest price in market, 

 and possesses as a subject of sport a still higher value. 

 Where neither shad nor trout can live some variety of 

 the fresh water bass will answer for private or public 

 waters, and the pike perch, (wall-eyed pike) is admir- 

 ably adapted to larger rivers and lakes. There is hardly 

 any pond, stream, river or lake, be it large or small that 

 cannot be utilized, and the land owner that has not 

 the facilities for raising salmon may supply his family 

 with an excellent article of food in the shape of bull- 

 heads or gold fli^h. 



