REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 81 
silver salmon and steelhead trout were used for this purpose, being 
canned in 23 gallon tin cans, with caps of thin tin. The cans were 
stacked in a retort and were allowed to remain for 3 hours at a tem- 
perature of 254° F., when they were taken out and the vents closed, 
no salt being used in the process. Canned salmon has proved fairly 
satisfactory as fish food at this station, and it must be used here, 
owing to the impossibility of securing other material. Its cost, also, 
is very light, as it can be put up by men employed for other purposes. 
It was hoped that the cans might be used over and over for a number 
of years, but it was found impossible to prevent their collapse while 
cooling, which renders them valueless for subsequent use. 
During the season 14,500 eggs were taken from two female salmon 
through slits cut in the abdomen, instead of spawning them in the 
usual manner. Milt was applied before washing the blood from the 
eggs, and they were then placed in baskets and separate records kept 
to note the result of the experiment. Only 16 per cent of them were 
lost during incubation, and the loss in fry prior to their liberation 
in Rogue River amounted to 221. 
The smallest matured female salmon taken during the season, from 
which 1,800 eggs were secured, weighed before spawning 5? pounds, 
and after spawning 45 pounds. The length of this fish was 24% inches. 
Efforts were made to collect silver salmon at Elk Creek, but the 
results were very disappointing, only 133,000 eggs being secured. 
These were hatched and the fry were liberated in Elk Creek. 
The steelhead work commenced on March 1 and was continued 
until May 18, the total take of eggs aggregating 370,000, which were 
disposed of as follows: 25,000 were shipped to the Tuxedo Club, New 
York; 50,000 to Wisconsin; 80,000 to Wyoming; 46,000 to St. Johns- 
bury Station, Vt.; 45,000 to Duluth Station, Minn. The balance were 
hatched, and the 65,850 fry resulting were planted in Elk Creek. 
LITTLE WHITE SALMON STATION, WASHINGTON (J. N. WISNER, SUPERINTENDENT). 
Early in July the station was opened and preparations commenced 
for the conduct of salmon work in the fall. The hatching apparatus 
was put in thorough repair, the upper rack was constructed, four traps 
built, and later on four other racks were placed in position. A small 
boat, 24 feet long, 64 feet beam, was provided for use in planting fish, 
and at the Big White Salmon, which was operated as an auxiliary for 
collecting and eying eggs, two large racks and a good downstream 
trap were putin. Racks were also constructed in Tanner and Eagle 
creeks. 
By September 10 everything was in readiness and men had been 
sent to the Big White Salmon to commence operations. It was not 
deemed advisable to detail a crew to Tanner and Eagle creeks, as the 
work at both points was experimental, and it was thought a visit there 
every few days would be sufficient. This conclusion proved wrong, 
however, as a visit on September 18 showed that the fish had entered 
F. C. 1901—6 
