OYSTER CULTURE IN AMERICA. 799 



bottom long enough to be filled, consequently none of the 

 oysters were lost from its inability to receive them. 



Though the foregoing method was imperfect, it was 

 the best that could be devised under the circumstances, 

 and a similar method was used by Mcebius in ascertaining 

 the number of oysters on the Schleswig-Holstein bed. 

 From the very small number of oysters to the square yard, 

 as shown by the method ; from the small number of oysters 

 it assigns to the beds ; and from comparison of the latter 

 number with the number known to have been taken off the 

 beds during our stay in the sounds, it is evident that the 

 " number to the square yard," given in the records of the 

 work, are useful for comparison only ; for in almost all 

 cases the number of oysters given to the square yard must 

 be considered as far below the real number. For instance, 

 the number of oysters on the beds in Tangier Sound, south 

 of Jane's Island Light-house, was estimated from the data 

 of the record given by the dredge and log to be 7,994,692, 

 while from other observations I am positive that at least 

 2,000,000 were taken from those beds in six days, at the 

 commencement of the oyster season. 



Such could hardly have been the case had there been 

 but 8,000,000 oysters on the beds, and consequently, we 

 must regard the " number of oysters to the square yard," 

 as shown by the methods used, only valuable as establish- 

 ing an -initial number and standard by which the increase 

 or decrease of oysters on the beds may be ascertained^ and 

 by which one bed or locality can be compared with an- 

 other. Alone, the results of the dredge and log are value- 

 less. 



TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER. 



It was originally intended that the temperature of the 

 bottom water should be obtained by means of thermo- 



