﻿MANUAL 
  OF 
  FISH-CULTURE. 
  23 
  

  

  SALMON-HATCHING 
  AT 
  BATTLE 
  CREEK. 
  

  

  While 
  tlie 
  mauuer 
  of 
  taking 
  aud 
  impreguating 
  salmon 
  eggs 
  differs 
  

   but 
  little 
  at 
  the 
  hatchery 
  of 
  the 
  United 
  States 
  Fish 
  Commission 
  at 
  

   Battle 
  Creek, 
  California, 
  from 
  that 
  at 
  other 
  places, 
  the 
  magnitude 
  of 
  

   the 
  operations 
  warrants 
  separate 
  description. 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  now 
  the 
  most 
  remarkable 
  salmon-propagating 
  station 
  in 
  the 
  

   world, 
  the 
  total 
  number 
  of 
  eggs 
  secured 
  for 
  hatching 
  during 
  the 
  season 
  

   of 
  1896 
  being 
  25,852,880, 
  which 
  is 
  about 
  15,000,000 
  more 
  than 
  have 
  

   been 
  taken 
  hitherto 
  at 
  any 
  one 
  station. 
  This 
  phenomenal 
  take 
  of 
  eggs 
  

   would 
  have 
  been 
  still 
  larger 
  had 
  not 
  a 
  flood 
  Avashed 
  away 
  the 
  rack 
  

   and 
  allowed 
  the 
  heavy 
  run 
  of 
  salmon 
  to 
  pass 
  upstream. 
  

  

  This 
  station 
  is 
  situated 
  near 
  the 
  mouth 
  of 
  Battle 
  Creek, 
  a 
  tributary 
  

   of 
  the 
  Sacramento, 
  and 
  although 
  less 
  than 
  40 
  miles 
  below 
  Baird 
  station, 
  

   receives 
  the 
  fall 
  run 
  of 
  salmon 
  only, 
  while 
  at 
  Baird 
  this 
  run 
  is 
  light 
  as 
  

   compared 
  with 
  the 
  summer 
  run. 
  

  

  Immediately 
  above 
  its 
  confluence 
  with 
  the 
  Sacramento, 
  Battle 
  Creek 
  

   is 
  deep 
  and 
  lagoon-like 
  for 
  a 
  distance 
  of 
  2^ 
  miles, 
  and 
  salmon 
  gather 
  

   there 
  in 
  vast 
  luimbers 
  before 
  entering 
  the 
  shallow 
  waters 
  where 
  their 
  

   spawning- 
  grounds 
  commence. 
  At 
  the 
  head 
  of 
  the 
  lagoon 
  is 
  a 
  retaining- 
  

   rack 
  similar 
  to 
  that 
  m 
  use 
  at 
  Baird, 
  the 
  fish 
  being 
  taken 
  with 
  a 
  seine 
  

   just 
  below 
  it. 
  

  

  During 
  the 
  heavier 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  run 
  500 
  or 
  GOO 
  are 
  taken 
  at 
  each 
  

   sweep 
  of 
  the 
  seine, 
  the 
  number 
  at 
  times 
  being 
  more 
  than 
  can 
  be 
  hauled 
  

   in. 
  The 
  first 
  eggs 
  were 
  taken 
  in 
  1896 
  on 
  October 
  8, 
  and 
  collection 
  con- 
  

   tinued 
  until 
  the 
  breaking 
  of 
  the 
  rack 
  on 
  November 
  23, 
  at 
  which 
  time 
  

   the 
  run 
  of 
  fish 
  was 
  still 
  in 
  progress. 
  Five 
  thousand 
  "ripe" 
  females 
  

   were 
  taken, 
  averaging 
  18 
  pounds 
  in 
  weight. 
  I^o 
  record 
  was 
  kept 
  of 
  the 
  

   males, 
  as 
  more 
  could 
  always 
  be 
  taken 
  than 
  were 
  required, 
  but 
  those 
  

   retained 
  were 
  used 
  day 
  after 
  day 
  until 
  exhausted. 
  Male 
  salmon 
  out- 
  

   numbered 
  the 
  ripe 
  females 
  3 
  to 
  1. 
  

  

  Spawning 
  operations 
  are 
  conducted 
  upon 
  a 
  floating 
  platform 
  24 
  feet 
  

   long 
  and 
  12 
  feet 
  wide, 
  beneath 
  which 
  are 
  nine 
  compartments 
  for 
  retain- 
  

   ing 
  the 
  ripe 
  fish, 
  and 
  which 
  are 
  accessible 
  through 
  hinged 
  covers 
  set 
  

   in 
  the 
  plank 
  flooring. 
  Projecting 
  beyond 
  this 
  platform 
  is 
  amother, 
  upon 
  

   which 
  the 
  actual 
  work 
  ot 
  stripping 
  the 
  fish 
  and 
  caring 
  for 
  the 
  pans 
  is 
  

   performed. 
  It 
  is 
  roofed 
  with 
  tarpaulin, 
  and 
  on 
  three 
  sides 
  is 
  inclosed 
  

   with 
  burlap. 
  

  

  The 
  taking 
  of 
  spawn 
  is 
  performed 
  by 
  ten 
  men. 
  The 
  method 
  differs 
  

   but 
  little 
  from 
  that 
  at 
  Baird, 
  except 
  in 
  the 
  manner 
  of 
  handling 
  the 
  fish 
  

   and 
  the 
  regular 
  use 
  of 
  water 
  in 
  the 
  spawning-pan. 
  One 
  pint 
  of 
  water 
  

   is 
  placed 
  m 
  the 
  pan 
  before 
  either 
  the 
  eggs 
  or 
  the 
  milt. 
  Two 
  men 
  take 
  

   the 
  females 
  from 
  the 
  compartments 
  in 
  dip 
  nets 
  and 
  hold 
  them 
  until 
  

   taken 
  out 
  by 
  the 
  spawn-takers, 
  not 
  allowing 
  them 
  to 
  strike 
  the 
  floor 
  dur- 
  

   ing 
  their 
  struggles. 
  The 
  female 
  is 
  held 
  by 
  two 
  men, 
  one 
  taking 
  the 
  fish 
  

   from 
  the 
  dip 
  net 
  by 
  the 
  tail, 
  aud 
  the 
  other 
  by 
  the 
  head. 
  The 
  stripper 
  

   then 
  comes 
  between 
  them 
  as 
  the 
  fish 
  is 
  held 
  over 
  the 
  spawniug-pan 
  and 
  

  

  