American Fisheries Society 171 



idea, naturally presenting only its best side. We do not see the 

 weaknesses in this new proposition until we give it our carefnl 

 consideration. Take this weighing of fish, take fish of the same 

 size, say an inch and a half or two-inch fish, compare those raised 

 in cold water, with others raised in what we would call com- 

 paratively warm water ; those in the warmer water will eat a great 

 deal more, they grow rapidly, and will be deep, broad and heavy, 

 probably weighing from one and a half to two times as much as 

 fish grown in cold water. The cold water fish do not eat as much 

 and are much more slender. Now here is a chance for variation 

 in weight just as much as in length. On the other hand you talk 

 about subdividing them into fingerlings one, one and a quarter, 

 one and a half, and one and three-fourths inches in length. How 

 many troughs do you get hold of where you can get the division 

 down that fine without weekly, I might say daily, sorting ? You 

 call them fingerlings number one and will have fish varying at 

 least a half inch, possibly more. It will l)e the same way all 

 along. Now how are you going to get down quite as fine as a 

 quarter of an inch ? Even if you do, what practical purpose will 

 be subserved anyhow ? When you start in with a fingerling num- 

 ber one, naturally you ship more to the can, if your season is 

 prolonged for a week or two it is true you get a few less in the 

 can. But it is impracticable to get it down to the absolute unit ; 

 we cannot stop and count each individual fish. Take our case 

 at Leadville : We have forty-eight nursery pens. When we 

 make a shipment it usually means from seventy-five to one hun- 

 dred and fifty cans. We move practically all our fish in special 

 cars furnished by the railroads. Xow we cannot get down that 

 fine, to the absolute unit, I mean, and I do not believe anyone 

 else can. It is not practical where you are handling large num- 

 bers of fish. What can you gain by it anyhow, except to put a 

 little more work on the already hard-working superintendents? 



Mr. H. D. Dean, Superintendent, Neosho, Mo. : I believe a 

 letter would be better than a figure. Then why not, if you put 

 100 in a can, 100 number one, 200 number two, and so on up to 

 a thousand, tell the Washington office right away how many you 

 think you could ship in a can. 



Mr. Thompson : Difference of opinion still. 



