FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. I 1 9 



the inhabitants in the vicinity of the lake to abide strictly by the Game and Fish 

 Laws, and to the liberal planting of young mascalonge in the lake by your 

 Commission. 



In the last report of your Commission it was suggested to the members of the 

 Legislature, that they pass a bill giving the Fish Commission power to stop all fishing 

 on small streams where they think the situation demands it, for a period of from three 

 to five years. I think it essential that the Commission have the power to stop fishing 

 entirely in the small brooks tributary to the Adirondack lakes or large streams. 

 These small brooks rarely contain a trout over five inches in length. As soon as the 

 trout reach that size, they always drop down out of the brook and into the larger 

 waters below. These small brooks are the nurseries, and my observation is, that all 

 through the Adirondacks you will find plenty of people that are continually fishing 

 these brooks for small trout. Not one of their catch is of 'the legal size, but no one 

 will make a complaint against them. In many cases the proprietor of a hotel, or a 

 boarding-house, keeps one or two boys, or a man, continually at work fishing the 

 brooks so that his table may be supplied with so-called brook trout. 



In planting young trout from the hatcheries, especially in the spring or fall, it is 

 desirous that they should be planted in these nursery brooks, and our attendants are 

 always instructed to have them planted in such brooks when possible, but when these 

 fish are caught out before they have had a chance to reproduce, or to attain legal 

 size, it will be slow work for our hatcheries to restock such waters as the Fulton Chain 

 of lakes, Cranberry Lake, with its many tributaries, and the many lakes in other 

 sections in the Adirondacks. When it is possible to stop fishing at all times on these 

 small brooks, then can we expect the quickest and best returns for our labor of 

 stocking. 



I cannot help referring to the fish car, the property of the State, and the very 

 important part it has taken in transporting the product of the hatcheries. During 

 the year it has made forty-six trips with fish, each time loaded with from 100 

 to 125 cans. It would be impossible to deliver our yearly increased output without 

 this car. 



Your Commission thought it advisable to erect a building for the protection of 

 this car from the elements. Consent was obtained from the New York Central and 

 Hudson River Railroad Company to erect such a building on their property in Cale- 

 donia. They kindly laid the necessary track into the car house, so that now when 

 the car is not in use, it has proper protection and care. 



During the warm weather of last summer, the car had a thorough overhauling and 

 painting. This is the only time during the year that the car is idle long enough to do 

 such work. 



