182 Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners 



the area of planted barren bottoms and the natural bars. Oys- 

 ter culture has been successfully developed in the barren bot- 

 toms in these States because after long experience and study, 

 planters have learned to determine the purpose to which each 

 barren bottom is especially adapted and have ceased to attempt 

 to produce seed oysters on bottoms which are not suited for this 

 branch of the industry. Had this fundamental fact been recog- 

 nized; by the Five Acre planters of Maryland, they would not 

 have so underrated the value of the barren bottoms of the 

 Chesapeake and its tributaries, and then the oystermen would 

 not have had impressed upon them the entirely mistaken 

 notion that oyster culture practically means the transfer of 

 natural bars to private ownership. The object of the Haman 

 Oyster Culture Law is to preserve the natural bars as well as 

 to bring the barren bottoms under cultivation, thus greatly 

 extending the industry and the opportunities of employment it 

 affords. 



BRANCHES OF OYSTER CULTURE. 



In order to successfully develop an industry in oyster culture 

 under the Haman Oyster Culture Law the mistakes which 

 hitherto hindered its development must be avoided. The exist- 

 ence of the division of labor in oyster culture, referred to above, 

 must be recognized and measures must be taken for putting 

 this fact into practical application. 



At least two distinct branches of the industry exist, each 

 requiring different conditions for its best development and a 

 third branch is sometimes recognized; the production of seed 

 oysters; the growing of marketable oysters from seed and the 

 fattening of matured oysters. 



Seed Oyster Production. 



By Section 111 of the Haman Oyster Culture Law provision 

 is made for setting aside certain natural oyster bars from April 

 15 to May 15 for the purpose of supplying seed oysters to plant- 

 ers who have leased barren bottoms for growing oysters. By 

 such provisions as this other States provide for the stocking of 



