OYSTER CULTURE IN AMERICA. 819 



Aside from the general absence or presence of young 

 on particular beds, it was noticed that a much smaller 

 number were found on or adjacent to the muddy bottoms, 

 or on the sands where there was much grass or sponge. 

 . . . . The absence of the young may be very readily 

 accounted for, if the sponge had formed previous to the 

 " spatting," as it would prevent the exposure of the 

 " cultch." The sponge is of very rapid growth, and I was 

 informed that on an unworked bed it had been known to 

 become three or four feet thick in a few months. If, then, 

 it had formed and commenced growing after the "spat- 

 ting" season, the young would not be as much disturbed 

 by it as they would if the growth had been previous to their 

 advent. This is another reason in favour of the theory 

 that the depth of the water influences the time of spawn- 

 ing, as the effect of the sponge on the numbers of young 

 was greater in deep than in shallow water. 



The number of drills (astyris) was, generally speaking, 

 in direct proportion to the number of young, and the 

 Pockomoke Beds, especially the Bird and Hern Island 

 Beds, appeared to have suffered most from their ravages. 

 . . . . Very few star-fish and whelks, and no other 

 enemies were discovered in the Sounds, and the drills are 

 probably the only ones that do any considerable damage. 



With regard to the beneficial effect, or the reverse, of 

 fresh water, there can be no doubt that the oysters at least 

 appear fatter and are superior after absorbing it, though 

 they become poorer in flavour. In order to test the effect 

 of fresh water upon them, and to determine if the low 

 spring tides had any share in causing the decrease in^the 

 numbers on the beds, a dozen oysters were selected from 

 the same bed and haul of the dredge. Six of them were 

 opened immediately, and inspected and found to be rather 



