XXIII. -REPORT ON THE PROPAGATION OF PENOBSCOT SALMON 



IN 1881-'82. 



By Charles G. Atkins. 



The routine work of the season went on with so little novelty that 

 there is not much to report beyond the summaries of work accom- 

 plished. 



It has been the ordinary practice to defer the purchase of salmon 

 until the market price has declined to about twenty-five cents per 

 pound. This generall3^ happens from June 1 to 10, depending mainly 

 on the supply of salmon from Canadian rivers. 



This year the first salmon were received June 1, and the last July 2, 

 the supply coming from the same parties and the transfer being in the 

 same hands as the previous year. The total number bought was 514 ; 

 5 of them died in transit, and 509 were deposited in apparently good 

 condition in the iuclosure. They were of uncommonly large size, the 

 average being 16.55 pounds, as estimated by Mr. Whitmore — doubtless 

 a very close approximation to the actual weight. This is the largest 

 average that has occurred since the propagation of Penobscot salmon 

 began, in 1871. It is thought by the fishermen to be the highest within 

 their experience. The next highest since 1870 was the season of 1874, 

 when the average of those purchased reached 14.03 pounds. An- 

 other phenomenon worthy of notice is the fact that the average size 

 of the fish was as great during the last days of purchase as during the 

 earliest. The ordinary experience of fishermen is that the mean weight 

 of the fish decreases from the beginning to the end of the season. 



The mortality in the inclosure was this year remarkable, 146 being 

 found dead. No progress has been made toward a discovery of the 

 cause. The symptoms were, as before, an opacity of the eyes, (accom- 

 panied, doubtless, by total blindness), subsequent protrusion and burst- 

 ing of the eye, and, soon after this, of the fish. Ninety-six per cent, of 

 these deaths occurred in June and July. This agrees with previous 

 experience, which teaches us to expect the survival of nearly all those 

 that reach the month of August alive. The greatest heat of the water 

 generally occurs in August. This year the averages were as follows : 

 from May 19 to 31, 57.8o ¥. ; June 1 to 30, 59.4° F. ; July 1 to 31, 63.5° 

 F. ; August 1 to 31, 63.7° F. ; September 1 to 30, 59° F. ; October 1 to 

 31, 45.8^ F. The highest temperature noted was 73^ F., August 6. The 

 mean for the first eight days of August was 70.9° F. These averages are 



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