420 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



supply. He returned in a few days with thirty-five bushels of moss, all 

 of which we used in packing. 



The manner of the packing has been a matter of considerable criti- 

 cism. Ou this point, I will only say that I had but one precedent to be 

 guided by, viz, the shipment of salmon-eggs from the same place the 

 last year. It was reported concerning this consignment that the eggs 

 which did not hatch on the way arrived in excellent order. In a criti- 

 cal and difficult undertaking like this in question, there seemed to be 

 no choice between adopting a method which had succeeded and others 

 which had never been tried, so I adhered to the plan of the last year's 

 shipment, and packed these eggs in precisely the same way. 



8. — THE METHOD OF PACKING DISCUSSED. 



To give the pros and cons of this method of packing would lead to a 

 long discussion, which would, perhaps, be out of place here ; so I will 

 simply say that the packing was no hap-hazard affair, but the result of 

 careful thought, and the exercise of as much foresight in regard to the 

 journey as we could bring to bear upon the subject j and even now, 

 after plenty of leisure for reflection, I do not know of any other practi- 

 cable method of packing salmon-eggs which are to be sent this over- 

 land journey, without an attendant, which secures as many favorable 

 combinations, or which is not open to quite as many objections, as the 

 one adopted. Indeed, I think the results were a decided vindication of 

 the merits of the packing. The first lot, forwarded in September, was 

 undoubtedly destroyed by the heat ; the second lot arrived in as good 

 order as could be expected 5 the third lot was reported to arrive in ex- 

 cellent condition ; and the fourth and last lot came the best of all. Of 

 those sent to Great Salt Lake, distant a thousand miles, only 3 per 

 cent, were lost. What more could be asked of the packing ? A method 

 that will carry salmon-eggs a thousand miles with a loss of only 3 

 per ceut. cannot be a very bad one. Seth Green reports a loss on the 

 200,000 eggs consigned to him of only 11 per cent, both in transpor- 

 tation and in hatching. This certaiuly does not seem to reflect any dis- 

 credit on the packing of the eggs; and when we remember that they 

 came from a climate where the mercury stood at 110° in the shade, and 

 that they were conveyed twenty-two miles in a wagon, to begin with, 

 over a very rough mountain-road, and after that three thousand miles 

 by rail, I think it is rather creditable to the packing than otherwise. 

 I am open to conviction, however ; and if there is any better way of 

 packing the salmon-eggs for their overland journey, I should like to 

 know it, and should be thankful for any light on the subject. 



9. — COST OF THE EGGS. 



The cost of getting the ova and preparing them for transportation 

 was about $4,000. There were very nearly 1,500,000 impregnated eggs 

 in good condition for shipment. This makes the cost of the eggs at the 



