34 



We have furnished Professor Bah'd, at his request, with a 

 full and detailed report of the number of eggs taken, and the 

 number of fish hatched at our several hatching stations, he 

 having paid for many of the fish which were turned looso in 

 our waters in addition to those which he placed in the upper 

 Potomac, giving to tLe waters from which the eggs were 

 taken, a liberal return of joung fish, carrying out the system 

 which he has hitherto pursued on the Connecticut river in his 

 Shad hatching operations at that point, as well as on the 

 McCloud river in his Salmon hatching, under the supervision 

 of Mr. Livingston Stone. 



The Potomac being the most southern river of Maryland, 

 we deemed it advisable to commence operations on that river, 

 but we found the conditions which surround the fisheries on 

 the Potomac were not well adapted for the propagation of 

 Shad, To make a thorough success of Shad hatching on the 

 Potomac, we are convinced that the usual methods can never 

 be depended upon. The large fisheries operated on the ex- 

 tensive flats where the Shad congregate in their passage up 

 the river — the width of the stream at these points, renders it 

 impossible to protect properly the hatching boxes from the 

 high winds and storms which often occur during the month 

 of May. Those places which are protected from the winds 

 are out of the current, and we found that the eggs did not 

 mature well in the boxes when in still water. Where the 

 eggs can be well hatched there are no fisheries, and where 

 Shad are taken in large numbers it is impracticable to hatch 

 them. 



The only success which attended our efforts on the Potomac 

 last season resulted from the gathering of eggs at the 

 different fisheries during the night, and taking them before 

 morning, on the deck of the steamer, to a central point, there 

 to be matured, 



It will be seen by the table showing the operations con- 

 ducted by Mr. Clark, that 686,000 Shad were hatched on the 

 Potomac at Ferry Landing. Of these, 586,000 were turned 

 into the river, and XOO.OOO shipped to other States, At owx 



