170 ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



It is my judgment, in view of this letter and the report made to me by 

 our Secretary, that we ought to try the experiment of rearing shad to the 

 fingerling stage, and I very sincerely hope that the next Legislature will 

 appreciate the situation and aid us by an adequate appropriation. 



Possibly, in addition to the general contamination of the river, we will 

 have to consider the inordinate use of nets at its mouth and the very great 

 pollution which there exists. Nevertheless, if it is possible to overcome the 

 factor of pollution, which in my judgment seems to be the most serious 

 obstacle, we may be able, by adopting the Connecticut method, to restore 

 to the Hudson River the valuable shad fisheries which of late years have 

 entirely failed. Following is a table showing how extensively the State 

 Commission and the United States Commission have stocked the Hudson 

 River with fry during the past ten years. 



FRY FROM FRY FROM U. S. 



YEAR STATE HATCHERY COMMISSION 



1896 4,095,000 4,595,000 



1897 3,0l8,000 7,125,000 



1898 ......... 6,579,400 5,500,000 



1899 2,II3,800 11,470,000 



1900 2,870,200 10,280,000 



1901 4,806,600 13,156,000 



1902 3,9II,I50 2,123,000 



I9°3 ....... 3,119,900 



I904 , 1,518,500 3,000,000 



i9°5 2,361,900 



34,412,450 57,249,000 



These figures show a total plant during the ten years of 91,661,450 fry 

 in good condition. The records for twenty years prior to 1896 prove more- 

 over that both the State Commission and the United States Commission 

 have given the Hudson River continuous and careful attention, and have 

 planted millions upon millions of shad fry in its waters. 



I repeat my recommendation of last year, that legislative committees 

 be urged to visit the State Hatcheries while on their trips through the State 

 in search of information. As the Caledonia Hatchery is easy of access and 



