THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



SORTING AND COUNTING A SMALL SLINL HAUL 



It is a matter of interest tn know the relative abundance of the different kinds of food- 

 fishes in different parts of the Mississippi Valley and to be able to determine the unit cost of 

 operations. In 1919 the actual outlay for saving this A-aluable food supply was about 1/50 of 

 a cent per fish. 



expense were disproportionate to the 

 value of the results. It is therefore 

 proper to note that the unit cost is only 

 nominal, and even the total money outlay 

 for operations of the magnitude of those 

 in 1919 is surprisingly small. 



Five years ago, when this work was 

 undertaken on a limited scale and in- 

 volved the salvaging of less than 2.500.- 

 000 fishes, the average cost per thousand 

 fish saved was $3.18. In 1919, owing 



partly to the magnitude of the operations 

 and partly to increased efficiency and 

 better organization, the average cost per 

 thousand was reduced to less than 20 

 cents. The cost in some of the less pro- 

 ductive fields, where fixed overhead 

 charges were applied to a comnaratively 

 small output, was somewhat higher, but 

 75 to 80 per cent of the fish were rescued 

 and reolanted at a cost of only 13 cents 

 per thousand. 



