1122 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



[2] 



were, under our arrangemeuts with the express companies, returned 

 free. 



The distribution made prior to December 15 was accomplished by the 

 methods above indicated ; meanwhile experiments were inaugurated 

 looking to reduction both in the weight and bulk of the shipping pack- 

 ages. 



An account of the result of these experiments will be found in Vol. I, 

 p. 215, Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission. So satisfactory 

 were they that early in December I was instructed by the Commissioner 

 to take charge of the Division of Distribution, and to inaugurate, sys- 

 tematize, and perfect the more economical methods of distribution ren- 

 dered practicable by the reduction in the cost, size, and weight of the 

 shipping packages. The standard package adopted was a covered tin 

 bucket having a capacity of 4 quarts. For facility of aeration several 

 holes were punched in the cover of each bucket. 



A shipping-tag with room for the address on one side and the requi- 

 site printed instructions on the other was devised by Mr. S. C. Brown, 

 so as to inclose securely a blank postal receipt, to be filled and returned 

 by applicant on receipt of the fish. The buckets were to be returned by 

 the applicants in all cases, the cost of the same (20 cents) being added 

 to the express charges, and collected from the express agent in advance. 



Where a number of buckets were to be sent to one destination, for 

 convenience in handling and better safety in transmission, light crates 

 were prepared, each having a capacity of 16 buckets, and weighing about 

 100 pounds. As from their shape several of the crates may be stacked 

 up on each other, it is practicable to pack 1,000 fish on a floor-space not 

 greater than that occupied by two of our ordinary transportation cans. 

 The convenience and economy of these methods of transportation is 

 therefore apparent. 



Shipping crate. 



All arrangements having been perfected and all necessary material 

 having been collected, express shipments were made in the small buck- 

 ets instead of the larger tin cans, to all points within a radius of 500 



