130 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



method was first put into operation in its crude form where the water 

 was stirred by an oar, the output has each year (with one exception) 

 increased. The extremes are represented by the total of 3,425 in 

 1900 and of 322,672 in 1908. The grand total for the eight years is 

 1,014,320, more than half of which were produced in the last two 

 years. With lots of 20,000 newly-hatched fry from 40 to 48 per cent, 

 (counted) have been carried through to the fourth stage frequently, 

 and 40 per cent, may be said to be a fair average to expect under 

 good conditions. From 56 egg lobsters nearly 85,000 fourth-stage 

 lobsters were obtained, showing an average of about 1,500 per 

 individual. 



In order to interpret these results fairly, there are certain things 

 which deserve consideration. Even when operating on a practical 

 scale, we have been feeling our way over new ground to further im- 

 provement of the method. Not a year has passed without decided 

 changes in the method or the apparatus. While this procedure leads 

 to the best final outcome, it does so at a sacrifice of immediate results. 

 Accidents, also, of certain classes — for example, the loss of larvae 

 through broken screens — must be charged against the present ap- 

 paratus and not against the method. Delays in construction, diffi- 

 culty in getting egg lobsters, etc., may be due to misfortune or to 

 mismanagement, but do not affect the permanent value of the 

 method. 



Capacity and efficiency of plant. — The plant as it stands to-day must 

 be judged by the results actually attained; but having watched 

 closely its operation I may venture the personal opinion that it has 

 not yet produced to its full capacity and that the 24 cars are capable, 

 under good conditions and with allowances for inevitable mistakes, 

 of hatching and rearing 500,000 lobsters in the six or eight weeks 

 which constitute an average season. This is a conservative estimate 

 based on the following deductions: If all the 24 cars were filled three 

 times, allowing two weeks for passing through the molts, with an 

 average output per car of 10,000 each time (which is considerably 

 below frequent actual production), the total output would be 720,000. 



