BUREAU OF FISHERIES XIX 
to solve will furnish the investigator and pay his salary and inci- 
dental expenses, the investigation to be carried on under the direction 
of the bureau’s experts and the bureau’s equipment to be used so far 
as available. The bureau reserves the right to make public the results 
of all such cooperative investigations. 
Because of the extreme difficulties confronting the menhaden indus- 
try, particular attention is being given to the pr roblems of that indus- 
try, especially to the possibilities of developing improved methods 
of manufacture that will cut down the extremely heavy labor cost of 
present practices, yield high-grade oil and meal, and obviate losses 
in the process of manufacture. 
Epoch-making progress characterized developments in the fishery 
industries. Machine processes are being developed; cleaning and 
cutting machinery, mechanical conveyers, and packing machines are 
replacing hand labor. The packing of fresh fish in cartons and pack- 
ages permits of its wider distribution by retail grocery stores and is 
tending to distribute sales more evenly throughout the week. The 
value of carbon dioxide ice for icing refrigerator cars, as well as for 
preserving smaller shipments, is being demonstrated; and the de- 
velopment of means of freezing fish rapidly with brines indicates 
that such methods are rapidly approaching a state of perfection that 
will permit of their use in the large-scale production of frozen fish 
required by this important branch of fresh-fish preservation and 
distribution. 
BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS 
FISHERY RESEARCH 
A brief survey of the year’s work shows gratifying progress in 
many fields. ‘The culmination of many years of salmon investiga- 
tion in the formulation of a successful plan of protection of the sal- 
mon fisheries of Alaska and the promise of reliable forecasting of 
future years’ runs is one of the most satisfying results of the efforts 
of the fisheries investigators. Oyster investigations have been ex- 
panded and are yielding fruits of inestimable value to a ereat indus- 
try reaching from Cape Cod to Texas. Not only have immediately 
applicable recommendations with regard to oyster culture been offered 
to the several States, but fundamental investigations on the biology 
of the oyster itself have been conducted, which will make possible a 
greater production of this valuable mollusk. 
Notable progress also has been made in the conquest of fish diseases 
which have seriously curtailed the output of the many fish hatcheries 
scattered throughout the country. These investigations in the pathol- 
ogy of fish and experimental fish culture have gone far to increase 
the effectiveness of hatcheries and eventually may place the farming 
of fish in ponds upon a successful and lucrative basis. 
The enthusiasm and energy of the investigators have been stimu- 
lated materially by a conference of the entire staff of the division of 
scientific inquiry held in Washington, D. C., in January. 
As in previous years, many States have cooperated with the 
bureau’s investigators, thus bine possible a more effective and more 
extensive investigation than would otherwise be possible. Joint in- 
vestigations by the bureau and the State governments include work 
