22 Report of the American 



Ballysadare ; 9th, twenty-four male and fifteen female fish in the ladder; 

 23d, twenty-five male and twenty female fish, ditto, some very large ; 

 December 3, thirty male and forty -five female salmon found in the 

 ladder. The regular fishing season began in July, when we caught 

 868 salmon, and up to the 20th of August 530 more — in all, 1,398. 

 The following year (1858), the number increased wonderfully. 

 August 28, at Ballysadare, numbers of salmon in every part of the 

 river ; September 1, Collooney ladder literally full of fish ; September 

 25, Collooney ladder swarming ; October 3 to 6, heavy floods ; the 

 ladder resembles a steeple chase, as we see them clearing the steps 

 in pairs; November 27, great numbers of fish in the ladder. One of 

 my men counted 207 salmon in one hour ascending the ladder, and 

 Mr. Calbertson has written me saying he reckoned 100 in less than 

 half an hour making up the rapids at Ballysadare. On yesterday, 

 December 2, there was so many fish in the pond at Collooney, that 

 Mr. Leech took up no less than six at once, in a landing net. Decem- 

 ber 19, counted nineteen at upper step of ladder in five minutes, 

 turned off the water and put up 256 salmon ; 11th, counted 102 fish 

 jump at the upper step in five minutes ; turned oft' the water ; the 

 pond actually alive Mnth fish, in general larger and fresher from the 

 sea than those of yesterday ; put up 246 fish and then stopped, as 

 the fish were getting sick in the pond. I am confident we left 300 

 to 400 in the pond. And now, supposing that you can still endure a 

 few more such delightful figures, telling us so forcibly that what has 

 been done on these small streams in old Ireland, and Scotland and 

 England, can be done on a far greater scale in our magnificent river. 

 Let me worthily conclude them by the following report of Mr. 

 Ainsworth, detailing the catch of salmon before and after the com- 

 mencement of his enterprise on the Gal way : 1853, number taken, 

 1,603; 1855,5,540; 1858,9,639; 1861,11,051; 1862,15,431; 1863, 

 17,995 ; 1864, 20,512 ; and since then the numbers have still increased. 

 In 1866 over 1,000 tons of salmon were shipped by the railroads of 

 Ireland. Salmon can be purchased in London at twelve cents and 

 fifteen cents per pound. 



And now, fellow-members of the American Fish Culturists' Associa- 

 tion, if such wonderful results as these can be obtained abroad, what 

 may we not anticipate in the early future for our beloved America. 

 Let us labor on until by our exertions we so multiply the salmon, 

 the trout, the shad, the black bass, that whosoever will, be he rich 

 or poor, may abundantly partake. 



