XXXVIII.-REPORT ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF CARP DURING 



THE SEASON OF 1882. 



By Marshall McDonald. 



In the inception of the work of carp distribution in 1879 the ship- 

 ments were always in charge of messengers, who gave assiduous atten- 

 tion to the aeration and frequent change of water en route, accompa- 

 nied the fish to their destination, and delivered them to the applicants or 

 their authorized agents. The vessels employed in transportation were 

 tin cans, having a capacity of from 10 to 15 gallons each. The num- 

 ber of cans taken in one shipment was usually twelve ; namely, ten 

 cans for fish and two for water. At first the number of fish to the can 

 was limited to fifty, thus making a messenger shipment to consist of 

 five hundred fish. 



As the robust vigor and vitality of the carp came to be better under- 

 stood and appreciated the number of fish permitted to a can was grad- 

 ually increased, so that in the latter part of the distribution of 1881 

 single shipments of twelve and fifteen hundred fish were made by mes- 

 senger to distances 900 miles from Washington. 



With the increasing number distributed each year it was found im- 

 practicable to make the entire distribution by messenger service, both 

 on account of the cost attending the same and the large force of expe- 

 rienced men it was necessary to keep in the field. Arrangements were 

 therefore made to ship by express, special rates being arranged with 

 the express companies. To an applicant receiving the usual allotment 

 of twenty fish the cost of shipping jjackages weighing 100 pounds or 

 more was very exorbitant, the rates ranging from 75 cents, to points 

 near Washington, to $10, $12, and even $15, to parties in more remote 

 localities. To reduce this cost half cans, weighing proportionately less, 

 were, by direction* of the United States Commissioner of Fisheries, 

 substituted for the ordinary 10-gallon transportation cans first em- 

 ployed. Meanwhile experiments were instituted for the purpose of de- 

 termining the minimum volume of water and the minimum weight of 

 vessel that might be employed for safe distribution of carp by express. 



The results of these experiments, detailed in full in United States 

 Fish Commission Bulletin, volume 1, page 215, showed that we might 

 use tin cans having a capacity of 1 gallon for distribution to points 

 distant in time from twenty-four to forty-eight hours from place of dis- 

 tribution. The experience of 1881 also showed that by the use of a 

 transportation car, with refrigerator compartments, so as to enable us 

 to control and keep down the temperature to 55° or 60^ in the interior, 

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