736 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



The ignorance of our people regarding the means 

 which must be employed for this purpose, and their preju- 

 dices upon the subject, are so great that this cannot be 

 done immediately, and it is therefore necessary for us to 

 do all that can be done to preserve our present resources, 

 and to keep our beds from complete destruction, until our 

 natural supply can be supplemented by artificial methods. 



ON THE WANTON OR UNNECESSARY DESTRUCTION OF 

 OYSTERS, AND ON THE PROTECTION OF YOUNG 

 OYSTERS AND THE RESTORATION OF OYSTER SHELLS 

 TO OUR WATERS. 



One explanation which has been urged to account for 

 the destruction of our oyster beds is the wanton or unneces- 

 sary destruction of young oysters. Upon the piles of shells 

 which are thrown out from the packing houses great num- 

 bers of young shells can often be found. They are, of 

 course, dead, and as they are' too small to be of any use, 

 their destruction is a clear loss to our people. It is impos- 

 sible to prevent this from happening occasionally, as in 

 many cases the little oysters are so small, and so firmly 

 fastened to the old one, that they cannot be removed 

 without destroying them ; and even if the oystermen could 

 be compelled to throw back into the beds any large oyster 

 which has small ones fastened to it, there is reason to 

 doubt whether this would be advantageous, for one full- 

 grown oyster, like a bird in the hand, is more valuable 

 than two small ones, which may or may not grow up to 

 maturity. We 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 



