XXV 



Maeylat>^d Commission Fish and Fisheries, 



Baltimore, McL, Sept. 2,^t]i, 1880. 

 Ma.t. T. B. FERGUSON, 



My Dear Sir : — Please find herewith enclosed a rough 

 journal of operations at Havre de Grace during the 

 months of May and June. In forwarding the same, I 

 would make a few suggestions in regard to some changes 

 which I think would be beneficial . There should be some 

 cover or awning made to protect the cylinders in case of 

 rain, as the drops kill the eggs and 3^oung fish, and we 

 found it imx^ossible to cover them with tops, the rain 

 con dug on us so rapidly. A fokling awning could be 

 easily arranged to drop in a few minutes. 



There should also be a hinged plank placed on the sides 

 of the barge to enable the men to walk around the out- 

 side of it in order to examine the cylinders, place 

 eggs in them and remove young fish, as we found it 

 extremelv difficult to do so from boats. This arrange- 

 ment could be made at slight cost, and would not be at 

 all unsightly. T consider the working of the cylinders 

 as now arranged a great success, and after a careful ex- 

 amination think the results are fully a third more, in 

 hatcdiing, than are obtained in cones; the economy of labor 

 and attention being very much in favor of the cylinders. 

 There should be some improvement made in fastening 

 wire bottoms to cylinders, since as they are now made, 

 they break at the outer band and lose a great many 

 yon ng fish . I woul d a 1 so a dvi sea net bei Vi^ pi a ced un der 

 them to prevent eels k(\, from sucking tlie eggs through 

 the bottoms. I would also suggest, for future service, that 

 a better class of engineers be employed, as a great respim- 

 sibility is placed upon them, and they slumld be both 

 careful and competent to repair any breaks &c., in the 

 machinery. Six or eight first-class, reliable men w(ndd 

 do more. I think, in getting spawn cl-c, than a larger 

 number; for it was mv misfortune tins season to be 



