SALMON AND SALMON EIVERS OF ALASKA. 
207 
ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF THE SALMON IN ALASKAN RIVERS. 
The observations of our party at Alexander’s Creek, TJyak Bay, on the naturally 
deposited eggs of the Humpback Salmon, Oncorhynchus gorhuscha, showed that they are 
a little larger than those of the Red Salmon, 0. nerlca, and a little smaller than King 
Salmon eggs, O.chouicha. Their diameter is about one-flfth of an inch. Mr. Lewis 
fertilized some of these eggs with the milt of the males and found no difficulty in 
handling them. Eggs of Red Salmon, 0. nerka, as already mentioned, were seen in 
nests around Karluk Lake and the rivers connecting it with its two tributary lakes. 
There are no extraordinary difficulties in the way of establishing hatching stations 
for Red Salmon and Silver Salmon in many of the bays of Kadiak. Alitak Bay and 
Afognak Bay furnish localities entirely suitable for the undertaking, and I can not see 
any reason why a hatchery at Karluk might not be practicable and desirable. The 
canneries get their supply of fresh water with no other trouble than that of piping it 
in surface pipes from hill side reservoirs. Lumber, machinery, and workmen are 
brought from San Francisco. Salmon are extremely abundant. There is no sheltered 
harbor, but extensive loading and unloading go on with safety in good weather. Sup- 
plies can be had the year around. The winter cold is not excessive. 
It would undoubtedly be difficult to sustain a hatchery on Karluk Lake, and it 
may not be necessary to locate one ther e if the spawning salmon are allowed to go up 
the river in sufficient numbers. If, however, it should be desirable to occupy the lake 
for this purpose a road must be constructed from the west end of Larsen’s Cove, and 
Mr. Booth advises that it follow along the foot-hills of the mountain range which 
bounds the river valley on the east, the valley itself being unsuitable for a road on 
account of its boggy nature. Lumber would have to be carried to the lake, as the 
native timber is fit only for fuel. 
From what I have heard about Thin Point, on the peninsula of Alaska, it appears 
to me that the river at that place is well adapted for fish culture ; it is short, rapid, 
constant, and has its source in a large lake. Nearly 20,000 cases of Red Salmon were 
taken there in 1889. 
Alitak Bay has good harbors and several good salmon streams, with plenty of 
pure water that can be obtained by gravitation. 
Messrs. Booth and Stone visited Afognak and were very favorably impressed 
with the outlook for salmon hatching on the Litnik River. Mr. Booth’s report contains 
the following items of especial interest in this connection : 
“ Afognak River, especially near the fiills, would furnish a very convenient site 
for hatching purposes. It is near a harbor safe in all directions from storms, has an 
abundant supply of fresh cold water at all seasons, and abundant timber, which, 
though not adapted for first-class lumber on account of knots and pitch, is still avail- 
