724 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



M 



provided with dip-nets, cars, and boxes, such as they needed. Mr. Avery 

 H. Whitmore was employed to receive the fish, agree upon their weight, 

 and forward them to Orland. The collection of salmon from the weirs 

 was done mainly in cars (transformed fishermen's dories), partly in boxes 

 carried in tbe fishermen's boats. They were generally taken from the 

 weirs just before low water and brought at once to Mr. Whitmore, who 

 dispatched them to Orland on the flood of the very next day tide, except 

 when the number was very small. The fleet of cars reached the lock at 

 Orland just before high water, and were then given in charge to Mr. 

 Buck, who dispatched them to the inclosures. The time occupied in 

 transfer was about five hours. 



The subscription to the fund warranted the purchase of a smaller 

 stock of breeding fish than usual, and being quite sure of getting all 

 we wanted in a few days, the purchase was delayed until the price had 

 fallen to a low figure, as is always the case in June, when the catch, 

 especially in the New Brunswick rivers, approaches the maximum. This 

 year the time of plenty came earlier than usual, and for our first load of 

 salmon, June 10, we had to pay but 8£ cents per pound. From this 

 time the collecting proceeded without interruption until June 21, when, 

 having impounded 261 salmon, we suspended operations for the season. 

 The following is a daily record of the purchases : 



The price per pound, it should be explained, is only one item in the 

 cost of the salmon. Each fisherman received, in addition, a bounty of 

 from thirty-five to sixty cents each for capturing, risking, and deliver- 

 ing them alive and in good condition to Mr. Whitmore. Then the 

 transportation to the lock at Orland was another item, and the com- 

 plete account would also include the wages of the men who took them 

 from Orland to the inclosure in Dead Brook and the cost of the cars 

 and other apparatus. The cost, delivered at Orland lock, exclusive of 

 apparatus, is made up of items easily separated from others, and 

 amounts to $558.92 for 264 salmon, averaging $2.16 for each. This is 

 about as low as can be expected in the future, the price per pound hav- 



