viii PKEFACE. 



according to the report of M. Heurtrier, Director- 

 General of Agriculture and Commerce, made to the 

 Minister of the Interior, its superintendents, Messrs. 

 Berthot and Detzem, had, in the first six months,., 

 artificially fecundated 3,302,000 eggs, and produced- 

 1,683,200 living fish. Of these, according to M. 

 Coste, 600,000 were of the valuable species trout 

 and salmon. 



These results achieved, under Government sanc- 

 tion, brought public attention to the subject in 

 France and in Great Britain. Seven works, by as 

 many different authors, were published upon the 

 subject : three in France by Coste, Godenier and 

 Haxo ; and four in England by Shaw, Boccius, and 

 two anonymous writers. Agriculturists and general 

 readers on this side of the ocean began to wish for 

 light, and among others the editor of this volume. 

 But none was to be had, for strange as it may ap- 

 pear, yet true, and proving how slowly the knowledge 

 of great truths sometimes travels, not a copy of any 

 one of these publications was to be found at any 

 bookseller's in New -York, even a year after their pub- 

 lication in France and England. The editor conse- 

 quently caused them to be imported ; and, translated 

 by him, in this single volumie will be found a selec- 

 tion embracing all that is valuable in their contents. 



