CONFERENCES WITH STATE COMMISSIONERS. 771 



Professor Baird said that question, as far as distance was concerned, 

 was settled affirmatively by the fact that salmon do go up the Yukon 

 Eiver and the Frazer. The Yukon is at least two thousand miles in 

 length, and the ascent must be much more fatiguing to fish than that 

 of the Mississippi, on account of rapids and obstructions in the former 

 river. In the Yukon, the salmon has to fight his way to the mountains, 

 while in the Mississippi there is nothing to hinder his progress. 



Mr. Green further spoke of the necessity of the removal of obstruc- 

 tions from the rivers, so that fish may have a free run to the upper 

 waters, and he advocated a close time at least for all pounds and traps. 



Doctor Edmunds said the authorities in Vermont had come to the 

 conclusion that the only way to stock their streams was by artificial 

 propagation, and a law would probably be enacted by which towns 

 might stock their rivers with trout and then charge a royalty for fishing 

 in them. 



Mr. NoRRis then sj^oke of the manner in which 3Ir. G-reen holds his 

 patent for a hatching-trough, and thought the Government ought to buy 

 the patent and have the right to its use everywhere. He also urged the 

 importance of action by the General Government in stocking all such 

 streams as are the boundaries of States, and where it is difficult to pro- 

 cure concurrent legislation on the part of the States themselves. He 

 thought there should be an application for at least $30,000 or $40,000 at 

 the next session of Congress for this work of fish-propagation. 



Colonel WoRRALL thought that the ova comiug from California 

 should all go into one stream, so as to make the experiment on as large 

 a scale as possible. 



Mr. Green wanted enough fish i)ut into whatever stream received 

 any to do somebody some good. 



Mr. Hudson also thought the Sacramento salmon should be placed in 

 a stream west of the Hudson. He would be willing to relinquish any 

 claim to them, 



Mr. iSToRRis thought some of the Rhine salmon should go to Dr. 

 Slack, to be placed in the Delaware or Susquehanna. 



Professor Baird stated that the salmon of the Rhine prefer a tem- 

 perature below 60^, and when it rises to 65° they retreat to the sea and 

 wait until hy some rise in the river, on account of rain, the temperature is 

 diminished. 



]\Ir. Howell inquired how early salmon would ascend the Delaware. 



Professor Baird thought that they would probably go up in April or 

 May. 



Dr.* Goldsmith called attention to a matter which concerned 

 more especially those separated from the sea, and with whom fish-cul- 

 ture must relate to fresh- water fishes only, such as trout. The question 

 which had been presented to his mind was one which lies at the econo- 

 my offish-culture. How many ponnds offish-food, muscular fiber, does 

 it take at ii given temperature of the water to produce a pound of trout ? 



