38 Wisconsin state agricultural society . 
propagation of the trout. This fish has been quite successfully, 
and, I am informed, profitably grown for some years by H. L. 
Douseman of Waterville, a member of the executive board of 
this society, and Alfred Palmer of Boscobel. Others are com¬ 
mencing its culture in various parts of the state. Mr. Palmer 
read a brief but valuable paper upon fish culture, before the agri¬ 
cultural convention in February, 1873, which will be found in this 
volume. The general government has done something in the 
direction of planting many of the valuable fishes, such as salmon, 
shad and bass, in the large rivers and lakes of the country. The 
German government has recently made a present to the United 
States of two hundred and fifty thousand salmon eggs. From 
this stock and others purchased from the same country, it is 
thought our waters suited to that valuable fish may soon be sup¬ 
plied. I am credibly informed that Prof. Spencer F. Baird, U. S. 
commissioner of fish and fisheries, has recently sent forty thous¬ 
and salmon eggs to H. L. Douseman of Waterville, and that they 
have hatched well, and are doing finely. These little fishes are 
to be placed in the rivers flowing into lake Michigan as an ex¬ 
periment, and one can but hope that this valuable family when 
they arrive at the great lake, will believe it to be the “ briny 
deep,” and live and flourish as well as in other waters supposed to 
be more congenial. 
The enterprising city of Madison, by her wise city council, has 
taken a lively interest in the introduction of salmon trout into the 
lakes surrounding the Capital City, planting several thousand of 
the young fish in February, 1873. This species is allied to the 
salmon and trout, bites readily at a hook, is„fine flavored, rich and 
delicate for the table, and it is hoped and confidently expected 
that its propagation here will be a success. 
“ The relative fertility of the water and the land is altogether in 
favor of the water. An acre of land will produce corn enough 
to support a human being, but an acre of water will support several 
persons, and could readily be made, with proper aid, to sustain the 
lives of many more. The former requires manuring, working, 
planting and harvesting; the latter merely requires harvesting;, 
and that, where the fish are sufficiently abundant, is hardly labor 
at alL 
