THE OYSTER. 



203 



than two small ones which may or may not grow up 

 to maturity. I believe, however, that in cases where 

 great numbers of young are fastened to the large ones, 

 the use or destruction of them at the packing-house 

 should be discouraged. This difficulty will disappear 

 with the growth of the planting industry, for small 

 oysters will then be valuable as seed, and they will pass 

 into the hands of the planters instead of going to the 

 packing-houses. The true remedy, therefore, is the en- 

 couragement of planting, and if our people would de- 

 velop this business immediately, all need for special 

 legislation would disappear. 



The destruction of young oysters at the packing- 

 houses is trifling, however, compared with that which 

 results from violations of the culling laws. When a 

 dredge is brought up from an oyster-bed it usually 

 contains a few marketable oysters and great quantities 

 of empty shells, which are often covered with young 

 oysters. The law requires that these shells shall be 

 thrown back upon the beds where they are taken, 

 under a penalty of three years' imprisonment, or three 

 hundred dollars fine, or the forfeiture of the boat used, 

 but the enactment of this law has failed to remedy the 

 evil. It is and always must be very difficult to enforce 

 a culling law, and as the captain of a dredging boat 

 wishes to improve his time on the beds to the best 

 advantage, and to make the most of pleasant weather 

 while it lasts, it is, of course, to his interest to fill his 

 boat as quickly as possible, and all hands are there- 

 fore so fully employed in catching oysters that there 



