Practical papers—Fish Culture. 
4°3 
fish for stock, and dead fish for market There has been such a 
demand for eggs and stock that it has hitherto almost monopolized 
the attention cf trout-breeders; and, as it is the most profitable 
and least laborious part of the work, although requiring the most 
skill, all new establishments strive to make it a specialty. 
There has been no diminution of the demand hitherto, and dur 
ing the last ten years every year but one has shown a marked in¬ 
crease in the business. There are also good reasons why the bus¬ 
iness should continue to increase. Densely settled countries have 
a tendency to economize food production. When our country 
was sparsely settled, fish were in such abundance that they had 
very little or no market value. As the population increases, the 
supply of food, not increasing in the ratio of the population, rises 
in value, and must do so as long as the population increases. Our 
country has very many barren trout streams which are to be 
stocked; and, to do this effectively, will require many more in the 
business than those now engaged in it. Then, again, these 
streams must not only be stocked, but must be kept stocked. If 
a larger number are taken out every year for market, their place 
must be supplied by young, or the supply will inevitably fail. 
Of course, the extent of the business in the future must be a mat¬ 
ter of conjecture. But it seems now to be established on as firm 
a basis and to have &s good prospects of increasing demand as any 
other. 
It is an encouraging fact that there is now a greater diffusion 
of trout knowledge among the community at large. Ten years 
ago people had a mere general idea of how the thing was done, 
and the knowledge was not easily to be obtained. Now, how¬ 
ever, books giving all known details can be readily found. 
As we have very many inquiries as to books on the subject, it 
will be of service to give the names of prominent works: Domes¬ 
ticated Trout, by Livingston Stone, published by J. R. Osgood 
k Co., Boston, Massachusetts ; Practical Trout Culture, by Dr. J. 
H. Slack, published by Orange Judd k Co., New York; Ameri¬ 
can Fish Culture, by Thaddeus Norris, published by Porter k 
Coate3, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Trout Culture, by Seth 
Green, published by Seth Green k A. S. Collins, Caledonia, New 
York. Most prominent pisciculturists keep these books for 
