128 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



During the subsequent years the method has been developed and 

 the apparatus again and again remodeled to incorporate the results 

 of our failures and successes and in the effort to obtain results on a 

 scale large enough and with cost small enough to deserve the adjective 

 "practical." The total outputs for the years are: 



189S. 

 1899. 

 1900. 

 1901. 



(a) 

 (b) 

 3,425 



1902 27,300 



1903 13,500 



1904 50,597 



8,974 I 1905 103,572 



1906 cl89,384 



1907 d294,896 



1908 6322,672 



a "Several." 

 "Several hundred." 

 c 24,800 to fifth stage. 

 d 4,900 to fifth stage. 

 e 5,481 to fifth stage. 



The rearing of considerably over 300,000 lobsters in the small plant 

 at Wickford recalls the confession of faith written ten years ago, at 

 the conclusion of the first season's work: 



"We know perfectly well that many others have failed in doing 

 what we attempt, but until we are thoroughly convinced that the 

 young lobster can not be 'brooded' we propose to continue our 

 work." * 



Manner of determining output. — It was early realized that "esti- 

 mates" of the number of lobsters in experimental work are practically 

 worthless and therefore all the fourth-stage lobsters which are taken 

 account of at all (many thousands of others have accidentally es- 

 caped) have been individually counted. Within the last few years, 

 when the numbers have run up into hundreds of thousands, the 

 operation of counting individuals has consumed much time, but the 

 satisfaction of accuracy in results has been sufficient compensation. 

 A comparatively easy and very accurate method of counting is now 

 in use. The "lobsterlings" are dipped out of the hatching boxes 

 with flat woven-wire strainers which take up from one to twenty at a 



* Bumpus: Report of the Rhode Island Commissioners of Inland Fisheries for 1898, p. 98. 



