a most disagreeable feature of the business, particularly
in bad weather. The great bulk of the aggregate catch continues to be
taken with seines or gill nets, but pound (or trap) nets are on the
increase. They have been in use below Lake Huron more or less for the
past four or five years, but it is only about two years since their
introduction in the upper lakes. With these nets 100 barrels of
white-fish have been taken at a single haul. Of course their general
use must produce a material diminution in the supply.

As regards capital invested, there is in particular instances a wide
difference. George Clark, Esq., nine miles below Detroit, has $12,000
invested in his grounds, owing mostly to the cost of removing
obstructions. But this is an exception.

The barrels for packing constitute no inconsiderable item of this vast
and important trade. Their manufacture is a regular branch in Port
Huron, but most of them are made by the fishermen when not engaged in
their regular vocation. They are made at all the villages and fishing
stations on Lake Huron, pine being generally easy of access. The
barrels are worth 62-1/2 cents each; half-barrels, 50 cents. Over
two-thirds of the packages used are halves, but our estimated totals
of the catch represent wholes.

Formerly the nets used also to be made almost entirely by the
fishermen, who usually procured the twine from Detroit. Latterly, many
of them have been brought from Boston already made.

Salt is another large item. For packing and repacking, about
one-fourth of a barrel is used to each barrel of fish. For the amount
packed, therefore, in the fisheries we have described, about 20,000
barrels are used.

Total proceeds of Michigan fisheries $620,000
Total proceeds of all enumerated 900,000
Total capital invested 252,000
Paid for wages 171,000
Aggregate of barrels salted, say 80,000 bbls.
Cost of packages 70,000
Cost of salt 22,000

The catch at the Sauble and Thunder Bay showed a falling off last
season, owing not to the want of fish, but to the unfavorable weather.
At these points they congregate only from October to the close, and
the weather being very rough last fall, the catch was comparatively
light.

Mackinac has been famous as the greatest fishing point on the lakes.
Gill nets are mostly in vogue. The work in that locality is mostly
do