32 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



tract, Ijang due south of the present site and containing about 40 

 acres, on which the Commission had secured an option with tlie view 

 to purchase, was carefully examined, and it was recommended that it 

 be devoted entirely to the propagation of bass and crappie, the ponds 

 to be supplied with water from Indian Creek or the stream running 

 through the station grounds. It is recommended that an appropria- 

 tion of $5,000 be obtained for this purpose. 



Between November 16 and 23 the stations at St. Johnsbury, Nashua, 

 East Orland, Green Lake, and Woods Hole were inspected and con- 

 ferences held with the various superintendents with reference to the 

 conduct of fish-cultural work. The St. Johnsbury station had been 

 materially improved by the construction of additional rearing-ponds, 

 but the water supply was still inadequate. Plans for the construction 

 of a large reservoir were under consideration, and an estimate of the 

 cost will be submitted with the view to obtaining a special appropria- 

 tion. The collection of trout eggs, which had just been completed, was 

 very unsatisfactory, owing to the drought which was then prevailing 

 throughout New England and which had caused the destruction of 

 thousands of adult fish b}^ the drying up of streams. 



Owing to the incomplete condition of the Nashua Station and to the 

 fact that the superintendent had had no opportunity to establish 

 auxiliary stations, very little fish -cultural work had been done at that 

 point. A few thousand eggs had been collected at Dublin Pond, 

 and it was decided to purchase from commercial hatcheries a suffi- 

 cient number for supplying applicants in the State. A number of 

 rearing and brood ponds had been completed, but after a careful 

 examination of the station it was decided that it would require from 

 15,000 to 16,000 to put the station in thorough working order. 



The spawning season of the Atlantic salmon at Craig Brook closed 

 on November 20, two days before the assistant's visit. Although the 

 number of fish purchased for this work was larger than in past years, 

 on account of their smaller size the output was less. The land- 

 locked salmon work at Grand Lake Stream was unfavorably affected 

 by the drought. The grounds and buildings at this station were in 

 fair condition and the work was in general satisfactory. 



At Green Lake egi^ collections were still in progress, but the indi- 

 cations here, as at other stations, pointed to a shortage on account of 

 the excessive drought. In many lakes the water was so low that 

 salmon and trout could not enter the streams to deposit their eggs. 



As the water supply has not been satisfactory for rearing trout, the 

 superintendent submitted a plan for increasing and improving the 

 supply by raising the dam at Rocky Pond. The suggestion seemed 

 practicable, and it was recommended that a special appropriation be 

 asked for this purpose. 



At the time of the assistant's visit to Woods Hole there were on 

 hand over 2,000 brood cod, weighing 6 to 20 pounds, which had been 

 captured by the Grampus and placed in live-boxes at the station . The 



