Report of Fish Commissioners. 
473 
are better for lakes where netting is not allowed, as they will take 
the hook, (and being very prolific, a large one having about 20,000 
eggs,) and being superior to the fish native to our interior lakes, we 
think them well worth introducing. 
In connection with the importance of re-stocking Lake Michigan, 
we reproduce an article that appeared in the Green Bay Advocate 
of November 25, and add that these are the views expressed to us 
not onty by fishermen and fish-dealers, but by all conversant with 
this industry. 
In the discharge of our duties, we believe we have had the good 
wishes of all, and certainly the kind assistance of many among 
whom we mention in an especial manner the Gardiner Company, of 
Pensaukee, Mr. Joseph Gevalle, a fisherman of Pensaukee, and Mr. 
N. K. Fairbank, of Chicago. The latter gentleman, at his own ex¬ 
pense, has built, at Geneva Lake, under the advice of Seth Green, 
who personally superintended it, a hatching-house, and in addition 
to such spawn as the State has furnished him, he has purchased 
250,000 of the spawn of the salmon-trout and brook-trout, and 
bears the whole expense of the labor of hatching. As this is a 
public lake and Mr. Fairbanks interest is only a summer’s resi¬ 
dence there, we think him entitled to far greater commendation 
than this bare mention. 
If the legislature deems the stocking of the public waters of the 
State of sufficient importance to continue the breeding of fish, we 
would recommend an appropriation of fifteen thousand dollars. 
This amount would build a hatching-house, and ponds for the keep¬ 
ing of such breeding fish as are desirable, and will bear confine¬ 
ment, and two or three additional temporary establishments on 
Lake Michigan, to be used not only in stocking the interior lakes, 
but in re-stocking this great public farm. Our estimate is, that 
eight thousand dollars would make the necessary preparations for 
carrying on the business, and that seven thousand will be required 
each year to carry it on; and judging from the success of other 
States and nations, this amount spent annually for a few years, 
would not only stock the interior waters with such fish as they are 
adapted to, but stock Lakes Michigan and Superior so as to give 
employment to thousands of fisherman, and at the same time great¬ 
ly cheapen fish to the people. In fact, the importance of these lakes 
to the State, as a source of food-supply, cannot well be exaggerated. 
