OYSTER CULTURE IN AMERICA. 8 I I 



in the Sound where it is possible for the ice to rest is incon- 

 siderable, and not many of the animals are destroyed by 

 the grounding of the ice, though they are affected seri- 

 ously by its long continued presence. 



The winter gales break up the ice fields, and pile them 

 up in immense masses on the leeward shores and over the 

 adjacent beds. ... A good deal of damage is done 

 to the shores by the ice, and the oysters feel the effect, 

 showing it by becoming what is called " winter killed," or 

 poor and weak, having a slimy, sickly appearance, when 

 opened. Many die on the beds from this cause, and after 

 the disappearance of the ice, ten days or two weeks must 

 elapse before they are fit for marketable purposes. Ordi- 

 nary cold weather and a moderate amount of ice is said to 

 improve the fishing, the oysters appearing to be drawn 

 more to the surface of the beds, and the shells to sink more 

 toward the bottom. My informant said this effect was quite 

 noticeable. 



No one that I was able to interrogate had ever seen an 

 oyster frozen in the water, and the impression was that so 

 Ions: as the oysters were covered they would recover from 



O j J 



any ill effects of ice or ordinary cold weather. 



. . . . The heavy gales that occur in winter and 

 summer, though principally during the former season, 

 increase or diminish the depth of water on the beds some- 

 times as much as three feet. Strong northerly and north- 

 westerly gales have the effect of diminishing the depth of 

 water, piling up any floating ice upon the leeward shores, 

 and cutting away parts of those shores. Heavy south- 

 easterly and southerly gales will increase the depth of 

 water on the beds, stir up the soft muddy bottoms of the 

 channels and beds 



