27 



^Salmon turned louse in tlie waters of the State, from wliicli 

 it will be seen that in the winter of 1874, we made a very 

 ^general distribution into the rivers of the State having their 

 -sources in the mountain regions. The few thousand which 

 were placed in the rivers of the Eastern Shore, whose sources 

 .are in the more level country, were simply an experiment 

 without hopes of success, but from some experiments made 

 during the year with the California Solmou, we are almost 

 hopeful of success even in these rivers. As the San Joaquin 

 ■valley is about isothermal with the Savannah, we believe that 

 the Salmon will not suffer for want of cold water in the Po- 

 tomac, Patuxent, Gunpowder and Susquehanna. We quote 

 from the report of the Commissioners of California for 1874 

 and 1875, showing the results obtained from their labors, 

 and the importance of this as a food-producing fish. 



''Salmon were more i)lentiful in the Sacramento river dur- 

 ing the season 1875, than ever before since Americans had 

 knowledge of tlic country. This is attributed to the close 

 season which m-ohibits the taking of Salmon between the 



J. O 



first of August and November first, as also to the (quantities 

 of young Salmon turned loose from the hatching establish- 

 ments. It is anticipated that after three years there will be 

 found more j^rofitable fishing than has hitherto been known. 

 An appropriation of from six to ten thousand dollars yearly, 

 is asked for instead of the pittance of twenty-five hundred 

 dollars granted." 



"Much attention is given to the Sacramento Salmon (Salmo 

 <|uinnat) by scientists and by fish culturists in other countries 

 for the reason that it conies into rivers to spawn in latitudes 

 much lower, and in waters much warmer than any other 

 variety yet known. Large numbers pass up the San Joaquin 

 Eiver for the purpose of spawning in July and August, 

 swimming tor one hundred and fifty miles through the hot- 

 test valley of the State, where the temperature of the air at 

 noon is rarely less than 80° Fahrenheit, and where the 

 ■ average temperature of the river, at the bottom, is 70°, and 

 at the surface 80°. The Salmon of the San Joaquin River 

 .appear to be of the same variety as those in the Sacramento, 

 but average smaller in size. Their passage to their spawn- 

 ing grounds at this season of the year^ at so high a tempera- 



