The Washington times., 1906-06-10

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the forties, the other not quite
so far along in the thirties,
met at the annual contest Of the New
York State Sportsmen's Association.
The older man looked like coun-
tryman He was Of middle height,
but so broad and burly as TO seem
almost short He had a full brown
beard and mustache and wore a
broad brimmed hat. His face was
marked by continuously humor-
Gus expression which frequently ex-
panded into a broad smile He had
as hearty a laugh as was ever heard
by mortal ears. His name was Seth
Green.
The younger man was taller and
thinner and his heavy beard was al
most black. He looked like an ed
ucated man Of the world, and SO he
was His name was Robert B. Roose-
welt; he was brother OF the elder
Theodore Roosevelt. and uncle OF the
boy Of the same name who now sits
IN the Presidential chair at Wash
ington. Roosevelt's laugh was as
hearty as Green's but apparently the
two had little in common.
II was developed during their first
meeting, however. that these two
were the best fly casters present
and this drew them together. For
two or three years they met at each
successive contest Of the Sports
mems Association AMI the acquaint-
ance grew into close friendship. The
result was the establishments Of ar
tificial fish culture In the United
States. Fish had been propsgated ar
tihcially in Europe more than hun
dred years before, but not extensive
~. and Massachusetts, had establish
ed State Fish Commission in 1853,
but it had made no practical prog
ress.
The work done by Roosevelt and
Green was more important than that
of any who preceded them here or
elsewhere, and the system of fish
culture in the United States today is
the most extensive IN the world II
has led to the addition of millions Of
dollars worth of fish foods to the re-
sources OF the country: operating
under the United States Fish Com
mission there are now fifty-five sta
tions (hatcheries) and substations
located In twenty-nine States and
Territories. besides the numerous
State hatcheries. Last year the ma
tionaI commission distributed over a
billion and three-quarters Of eggs and
young Ash.
Seth Green has now been dead
these ten or a dozen years. In his
lifetime he was often termed THE
Father Of the Fishes" Robert b.
Roosevelt is living at seventy-seven.
Through all his many-sided life he
has been known as Fisherman Bob"
from his fondness for angling. and
he may quite properly be termed
The Father of American Fish Cul-
ture." For while II was Green who
studied the habits OF the fishes and
discovered their secrets. his efforts
would have been comparatively inef-
fective without practical man with
money and influence az his command
10 help him. Roosevelt furnished
these requisites.
Surrounded by his Books on the
second floor OF his old-fashioned
Fifth avenue home in New York the
other day. he modestly told the story
of the beginning and early develop
ment of the work which they accom-
plished.
When Green and I first met"
said Mr.. Roosevelt. Il was anxious
to secure the adoption by the State
of proper game protection iaws. So
was Green, and his enthusiasm in
that direction, as well as his skill
with the rod. made him very inter
e-ting TO me. | had read and heard
= good deal about what was being
me in Europe in the way of fsh
rluure. and when Green said be had
led IN Matching brook trout
officially my interest in him in
roased. He thought the raising OF
brook trout could be made profitable.
He had found an ideal place to es-
tablish hatchery some miles south
of Rochester In Caledonia, where the
original New York State trout hatch
cry was located later.
Ever been there? Then you
know what wonderful spring
gushes out of the ground there;
how clear the water is-cold In
summer. bat of such nearly change
Lass tsmperature that It never