tical men of means and experience. Mr. Mitchell, at Salt 
Lake city, lias cured and barreled this salt for several years 
past; we bespeak good returns for his labor. The fishermen 
along the north-west coast will, in future years, consume vast 
quantities of this superior salt, and we anticipate great and 
profitable development in this valuable branch of our Pacific 
industry. 
Curing Fish. The sunny atmosphere and clear trade winds 
on the northwest coast are equally effective in drying fish. In 
the vicinity of the Golden Gate the climate is subject to great 
changes. During the Summer and Autumn months the warm 
balmy mornings are usually succeeded by damp, chilly evenings, 
often aggravated by dense fogs. The extremes in climate ren¬ 
ders the drying of cod very tedious. At Salcelleto we noticed 
several crews engaged in curing their fares. From them we 
learned that it required as much time to cure cod in the Bay of 
San Francisco, as it did to catch the cargo at sea. From careful 
observations we conclude that the Bay of San Francisco is not 
adapted to curing cod or halibut. The level shores margining 
Puget Sound offer every facility for drying fish,—the temperate 
rays of the sun, the clear, bracing winds prevailing in that val¬ 
ley from May till November, the thermal temperature of the 
coast, regulated by the stream from Asia, combined with other 
natural causes, renders those shores the most available base for 
developing the fishing industry. The southern shores of Alas¬ 
ka, as before stated, are lofty and rugged, and subject to heavy 
rains. The broad alluvial plateau bordering on the eastern 
shores of Cook’s Inlet enjoys a bracing climate for several 
months in each year. Fish may be cured in that locality in au¬ 
tumn with certainty. The islands fringing the peninsula of 
Alaska and some of the Aleutian islands afford facilities for 
drying and curing all kinds of fish. Various other localities on 
this vast coast are well adapted, which the practical fishermen 
in future years will make subservient to their necessities. The 
gifts so lavishly strewn around these shores will, in the fulness 
of time, be made to contribute to the nurture and comfort of 
man. 
Cooperage has heretofore ruled high on the northwest coast, 
the demand for spirit, wine, beer and oil casks taxed the ener¬ 
gies of the coopers to their utmost, and they have realized exor¬ 
bitant prices. The steam factory in San Francisco supplies ev- 
