BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 1885. Page 423

Culture of Landlocked and Penobscot Salmon in New Hampshire
By E. B. Hodge. [Letter to Prof. S. F. Baird.]

The landlocked salmon in many of our lakes have grown to an extraordinary size. I measured one the other day (mounted) 33 inches long; weight, 12 pounds when caught; could not have been over seven years old. Another of 15 pounds weight was caught in Squam Lake, same age. Many others from 5 to 9 pounds have been reported to me by reliable persons. We have, in connection with Massachusetts, made a heavy plant of Penobscot salmon in the Pemigewasset River, which is the headwaters of the Merrimac. The largest fish that I have taken at the hatchery here was in last July--length, 42 inches; weight, 33 pounds; female. The spring run was all large fish; we have planted as follows: 1880, 300,000; 1881, 350,000; 1882, 400,000; 1883, 412,000; 1884, 600,000.

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Page 424 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH 'COMMISSION.

A very large run of salmon came into the lower part of the river in September and October, but, owing to low water, did not come up as far as the hatchery.

Last year we distributed 85,000 Lake Superior fry, and this year we purchased 200,000 eggs, but unfortunately they were packed with green water-weeds, which fermented and raised the temperature to about 85 degrees, which destroyed all the eggs. As we can purchase no more, I asked you for as many as you can spare us.

I have in the breeding ponds two or three hundred California trout, but not old enough to yield us any eggs this year. l impregnated some brook-trout eggs with the milt of the California trout last week. Should you desire to get a supply of the eggs of the whitefish, called poundfish in Maine, you can obtain any amount you may want in Lake Winnepesaukee, a few miles from here.

Plymouth, N. H., January 7, 1885.

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