118 
FISH BREEDING. 
the inhabitants of Indian towns. The planting of a bed of 
oysters in a new locality might, very probably, lead, in time, 
to the formation of a bank, which, in connection with other 
deposits, might perceptibly affect the line of a coast, or, by 
changing the course of marine currents, or the outlet of a 
river, produce geographical changes of no small importance. 
The transplantation of oysters to artificial ponds has long been 
common, and it appears to have recently succeeded well on a 
large scale in the open sea on the French coast. A great 
extension of this fishery is hoped for, and it is now proposed to 
introduce upon the same coast the American soft clam, which 
is so abundant in the tide-washed beach sands of Long Isand 
Sound as to form, an important article in the diet of the neigh¬ 
boring population. 
The intentional naturalization of foreign fish, as I have said, 
has not thus far yielded important fruits ; but though this par¬ 
ticular branch of what is called, not very happily, pisciculture , 
has not yet established its claims to the attention of the phys¬ 
ical geographer or the political economist, the artificial breed¬ 
ing of domestic fish has already produced very valuable results, 
and is apparently destined to occupy an extremely conspicuous 
place in the history of man’s efforts to compensate his prodigal 
waste of the gifts of nature. The restoration of the primitive 
abundance of salt and fresh water fish, is one of the greatest 
material benefits that, with our present physical resources, 
governments can hope to confer upon their subjects. The 
rivers, lakes, and seacoasts once restocked, and protected by 
law from exhaustion by taking fish at improper seasons, by 
destructive methods, and in extravagant quantities, would 
continue indefinitely to furnish a very large supply of most 
healthful food, which, unlike all domestic and agricultural 
products, would spontaneously renew itself and cost nothing 
but the taking. There are many sterile or wornout soils in 
Europe so situated that they might, at no very formidable 
cost, be converted into permanent lakes, which would serve not 
only as reservoirs to retain the water of winter rains and snow, 
and give it out in the dry season for irrigation, but as breed- 
