854 EEPORT OF COMMIgSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



either in the wells or in the hatching-channels or in the round clay 

 breeding- vessels, and is consequently free from mineral, chiefly metallic, 

 substances which are easily oxidized, and although it does not come in 

 contact with the air until it reaches the hatching-channels, it is never- 

 theless well suited for hatching salmon-eggs, as more than a million 

 have been hatched in it. I cannot but mention in this connection the 

 fact, long since proved satisfactorily to my mind, that all spring-water, 

 and other water, too, contains a quantity of air sufficient for maintain- 

 ing organic beings, but that spring-water is but rarely free from mineral, 

 particularly easily oxidized metallic, substances and gases, and that 

 consequently organic beings cannot live in it without sustaining some 

 injury. If such mineral water is led into an open ditch or into a small 

 pond, large enough, however, to luring the water which flows in for 

 twenty four hours in contact with the air, the mineral subsiances are 

 oxidized to such a degree that, unless there is any putrefying organic 

 matter in the ijond, it will become capable of sustaining animal life, and 

 be well suited for a hatching-pond. 



Salmon-fishing was still going on in Hameln ; on the 9th of June, from 

 C to 8 a. m., eight had been caught, and from 8 to 10 a. m. ten, with an 

 average weight of 11 to 15 pounds apiece, and the salmon were still 

 ascending the river. To me the leaping of the salmon endeavoring to 

 get over the large weir, three meters in height, which spans the Weser, 

 was a most interesting sight. Toward noon, when the sun is very bright, 

 some salmon succeed in getting across, but by far the larger number are 

 caught in the nets. 



The salmon-fisheries, which formerly were rented out by the city of 

 Hameln for $214 annually, rent now for $3,770, a very palpable proof of 

 the success of artificial hatching. The city pays Mr. Schieber, for his 

 trouble in hatching one million salmon for the Weser, about $100. 



I left Ilameln at 1 p. m. on June the 9th, and reached Coblentz late 

 in the evening. 



On the 10th June, early in the morning, I visited Mr. Joseph Glock- 

 ner, in Neuendorf, in whose possession were most of the hatching-boxes 

 which had been prepared for hatching " maifische." 



Mr. Glockuer had ceased to catch "maifische" for this season, because 

 'there was no sale for them, and because they had been caught in such 

 large numbers that people had gotten somewhat tired of them ; the 

 lease of his fishing district was, moreover, soon coming to an end, and 

 he did not wish by catching very large quantities to raise the rent any 

 higher. As I learned afterward, he was not successful, for his rent has 

 been raised from about $21.42 to upward of $238. 



Next year he was going to produce " maifische" capable of spawning; 

 this year it was too late to do this, and if it did not get warmer they would 

 not spawn, any way. In consequence of many violent thunderstorma 

 the temperature had fallen to 59° F., and it was raining incessantly. 



He was of opinion that in spite of all prohibitory regulations a great 



