468 
Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 
a view of furnishing data by which we can tell what species of fish 
would be best to introduce in each individual lake. We would say, 
to a certainty, that all those deep, cold waters, where that small 
species of white-fish, known as the sisco, (Argyrosomus sisco,) is 
found, there the large lake-trout, Salmo namaycush, Penn., will 
thrive. It is the intention of the Commissioners to stock such lakes 
abundantly with these large, superior fish, so that the inhabitants 
can go with hook and line, and bag trout weighing from eight to 
forty pounds. 
If all the lakes could be carefully surveyed, and every species of 
animal ascertained that inhabit the waters, or burrow in the bottom, 
it would be of the greatest interest to science, and of permanent 
value to the cultivation of fish. For, by these means, we would 
ascertain the supply or deficiency of those worms, Crustacea, and 
small species of fish, which furnish food for several of our most val¬ 
uable food-fishes. 
The State of Indiana has undertaken this investigation in all of 
the lakes in the State, conducted by scientific men under the super¬ 
vision of Professor Cox, State Geologist. 
Can’t this be done in Wisconsin? 
The report of Professor Spencer F. Baird, United States Commis¬ 
sioner of Fisheries, for 1873-4, a volume of’upwards 800 pages, 
contains full statistics of operations of the Government and of 
States provided with commissioners, in the matter of fish-breeding. 
The results are most gratifying, and future prospects are very en¬ 
couraging. We have before us, also, the report of the commissioner 
of fisheries of Canada, for 1874, a volume of nearly 200 pages, 
which contains a complete statement of the Canadian fisheries. 
The money value of their fisheries for 1873 is given at $10,754,998; 
for 1874, at $11,681,886. The consumption for domestic supply is 
not embraced in these figures; for this, 10 per cent, should be 
added. In this exhibit, too, British Columbia, Manitoba, and the 
Northwest Territories are not included. The increase of nearly one 
million dollars, for 1874, was largely due to the process of artifi¬ 
cial propagation, which our neighbors have been carrying on for 
several years past. 
The question of attaching this branch of industry to our State 
University is worthy of consideration. The agricultural depart¬ 
ment could easily take it as a branch of that science, and in a few 
