630 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [6] 



" The fishery-owners on the Torrisdal River, with whom I discussed 

 this question, were all agreed that the increasing* quantity of sawdust 

 is one of the principal causes of the decrease of the salmon. The num- 

 ber of common saws has not been much changed during tbe last ten or 

 twelve years, nor has the annual quantity of wood cut by them been very 

 much increased ; but the number of circular saws, of which about ten years 

 ago there were hardly any, has been increased very considerably. In 

 Vennesland, where ten years ago there were only two circular saws 

 there are now twelve to fourteen. The saw-mills with circular saws 

 make both boards and planks and staves, probably as many of the 

 former as of the latter. Probably one-half of the wood used for staves 

 (which were not made at all before the introduction of circular saws) is 

 foliaceous wood, and the rest is principally piue. None of the circular 

 saws collect the sawdust, and its quantity in the rivers is therefore con- 

 siderably increased. In some still places it is piled up to the depth of 

 several yards, and this is often the case just below the spawning places, 

 while these places are, on account of the greater swiftness of the cur- 

 rent, hardly ever covered with sawdust. Decayed fish eggs and dead 

 young fish are also often found in the piles of sawdust." 



With regard to the condition of the TJndal River, I have made the 

 following observation : 



u The principal complaint of all the fishery-owners along this river is 

 the constantly increasing quantity of sawdust. This is particularly 

 noticeable below the Melhus Falls, close above which there arc three 

 large saw-mills, all of which empty their sawdust into the river. An old 

 fishing place above the falls is completely filled with sawdust, so that 

 now the water is shallow where formerly it was several fathoms deep. 

 The fishing places below the falls are also suffering from large quanti- 

 ties of sawdust, which fills the stationary nets to such a degree that 

 they have to be kept at some distance from the bottom, so that many 

 fish pass below them. During my visit the sawdust did not give so 

 much trouble as usual, as the water had for some time been exception- 

 ally high, and the current had in consequence carried most of it farther 

 down the river. In quiet nooks and on the banks, however, piles of it 

 could be seen. One of the large landed proprietors in Northern Undal 

 informed me that in the portion of the river nearest to him (and there- 

 fore far above the Melhus Falls) the quantity of sawdust was so consid- 

 erable that after a freshet it would cover the banks to the depth of sev- 

 eral inches, and in some places even to the depth of one foot (!). On his 

 own property (Spillinggard) several acres of land are covered in this 

 way. Among the localities which had suffered in this maimer he 

 mentioned Einersmoen, Loland, and Vigmostad. After every freshet 

 the sawdust had to be removed in order that the grass might not 

 suffer." 



Outside of the districts of List and Mandal the complaints regarding 

 the injuries done by sawdust are not so loud and frequent, and it is proba- 



