762 EEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



of eggs, but on any other kindred matter in fish culture, in all of which 

 you are so thoroughly conversant. 



Excuse my very long and somewhat prosy Letter, but when details 

 are to be given, both time and paper must be sacrificed. 

 Believe me to be yours, very truly, 



SAMUEL WILMOT, 

 Superintendent Fish Culture for Canada. 



I may mention here that the supi^lementary hatching-house did ex- 

 cellent service in helping us to eke out the quota of eggs for the two ice- 

 cars. For illustration, all the eggs going into the first car had to be 

 taken within a period of about a week, because those that were taken 

 before that were in danger of being too far advanced to go in the car, 

 and those taken after that were likely to be not far enough advanced. 

 The supplementary hatching-house, which matured the eggs eight days 

 quicker than the regular hatching-house, by virtue of its warmer water- 

 supply, here came very conveniently to our aid by furnishing the ad- 

 ditional half million eggs just when they were wanted. 



On the 3d of October the balance of the eggs were sufficiently matured 

 to load the second car. About two millions and a half (2,500,000) stiU 

 remained in the hatching-house after both the cars were loaded and sent 

 off. These were afterward hatched by Mr. Myron Oreen and Mr. James 

 Eichardson and placed by them in excellent order in the McCloud, Pit, 

 and Little Sacramento Elvers, all tributaries of the Sacramento. 



PacMmj and sJiipplng the eggs. — The packing and shipping of the eggs, 

 as well as the taking, maturing, and hatching of the eggs, passed off 

 more smoothly this year than usual. The packing was done with mar- 

 velous rapidity and reflects great credit on all concerned in it, particu- 

 larly Mr. James Eichardson and Mr. Patrick Eiley, who placed the lay- 

 ers of eggs in the boxes. Had not the character of the packing, as shown 

 by the way in which the boxes finally opened, been made the subject of 

 unusual commendation from the parties who were engaged in unpacking 

 the eggs at their destination, I should hardly venture to say how rap- 

 idly they were packed, lest it might be thought to imply undue haste or 

 want of care. I will, however, under the circumstances, state that the 

 eggs were actually packed at the rate of half a million an hour, and I 

 wiU add my own testimony also, i hat I never saw eggs packed with more 

 care, fidelity, and pains, the rapidity with which the work was dispatched 

 being wholly the result of experience and skill and the enthusiasm with 

 which everyone employed did the part of the work which fell to his share. 



The manner of packing the eggs was in general the same as last year, 

 the only difference being that this year the packing-boxes were made an 

 inch larger both in length and width in order to give more room for the 

 eggs. I, however, took especial pains this year to send large measure, 

 in most instances giving from 5 per cent, to 50 pev cent, more than were 

 ordered. 



