CHAPTER XV. 



SALMON CULTURE. 



Great loss in nature Large number of eggs deposited Bad management of 

 our rivers Some evils may be remedied Poachers considered Impounding Salmon 

 Where to get the best eggs Nature s discrepancies provided for More about 

 poachers Fate of the eggs Falling off in catch of salmon Rate of natural 

 increase considered Feeding of salmon Migration Experiments Smolts and 

 grilse The United States Salmon of Alaska Alaskan and British salmon 

 compa red Saprolegn ia . 



jHTHE so-called artificial cultivation of the salmon (S. salar) is 

 in a degree somewhat similar to the cultivation of the trout 

 (S. fario). That is to say, the treatment of the eggs is very much 

 the same, as well as of the alevins and young fish. The difference 

 lies chiefly in dealing with the adult salmon as well as the younger 

 fish after they have been turned into the rivers, and last, but by 

 no means least, in the manipulation of the rivers themselves. 

 The subject is a very large one, and I can only somewhat briefly 

 allude to it here, but as the presence of the king of fishes is 

 required in order to make what many would consider a perfect 

 " angler's paradise," I will give a few of my views on this important 

 question. 



If we take into consideration the fact that when left to Nature 

 not one egg in a hundred produces a fish that will reach four 

 ounces in weight, and make a careful examination, in order to 

 ascertain the cause and whereabouts of this great destruction 

 during the earlier stages, we find that enemies are so numerous 

 and the casualties and dangers to which they are exposed so great 

 that the wonder rather is that any come to maturity at all. 



In the first place we know that salmon and trout will eat not 

 only their own eggs, but will, if they can, eat each other ; hence 



