256 WISCONSII^ STATE AGRIGULTUBAL SOCIETY. 
matter of purchasing a site, and in the cost of construction of build¬ 
ings, and their adaptation to the purposes designed. There was 
some diversity of opinion on the board as to our power to procure 
the spawn of the white fish and lake trout, and hatch them outside 
of the hatching house at Madison. This question was referred to 
the attorney general, and his opinion thereon was communicated 
to the commissioners in writing. That opinion warranted the com¬ 
missioners in establishing a temporary hatching house at the city 
of Milwaukee, for the hatching of spawn of the white fish and lake 
trout. The common council and the board of public works of that 
city, with great liberality, placed at our disposal adequate space in 
their water works building for that purpose, with permission to 
draw all the water required for hatching purposes, from their res¬ 
ervoirs. As the white fish cannot be fed in artificial ponds, like 
the trout, salmon, and other food fishes soon after being hatched, 
they must be placed in waters adapted to their growth. The prop¬ 
agation of the white fish must always constitute the leading object 
of the commission, a:M the stocking of Lake Superior, Lake Mich¬ 
igan and Green Bay, must be kept steadily in view. The hatching 
house at Madison is designed exclusively for stocking our inland 
lakes, rivers and streams, with the varieties of fish suited to their 
waters. 
OPERATIONS OF 1876. 
After the construction of the buildings hereinbefore named, at 
the Madison Hatchery, and the erection of ponds (seven in num¬ 
ber), Mr. M. D. Comstock, a practical pisciculturist, late of Colum¬ 
bia county, Wisconsin, was chosen superintendent. His salary is 
fixed by law at $1,000 per annum, and a tenement furnished in ad¬ 
dition. He has given the bond required by the law, and entered 
upon his trust on the first day of September last. Under his im¬ 
mediate supervision the ponds named were constructed, and the 
troughs placed in the hatching house. 
The grounds and springs will admit of the construction of at 
least twenty-five additional ponds. All these may never be required. 
The capacity of the hatching house is 1,000,000 of the eggs of the 
salmon, of the speckled trout double that number. In October, 
Mr. Comstock placed in the troughs 86,000 of the California sal¬ 
mon ova, in fine condition. The success attending this first trial 
was complete. Upwards of 90 per cent, were hatched, the fry be- 
