OYSTER CULTURE IN ENGLAND. 405 



were in a state of complete exhaustion, and some of them 

 lie close to the mussel scalps, the powers given over them 

 may be taken to have been asked for, and were, I believe, 

 granted rather as a protection against the poaching of 

 mussels than with any hope of renewing their productive- 

 ness. Under these circumstances, it does not appear to 

 me that the Corporation, by neglecting the oyster beds, 

 have failed in giving fair effect to the objects of the Order. 



EMSAVORTH FISHERY ORDER. 

 20, Ons low Gardens, 30^ December, 1876. 



Sir, I have the honour to inform you that, in accord- 

 ance with your instructions dated the i8th November, I 

 visited Emsworth on the iQth instant, in order to inspect 

 the Emsworth Oyster and Mussel Fishery, of which the 

 Oyster Merchants' Company are the undertakers, under 

 "The Emsworth Fishery Order, 1870." 



The Merchants' Company appears to have commenced 

 operations in 1870 with considerable energy. During the 

 first year of its existence 374,286 oysters, of which half 

 were full grown, were laid down in the 45 acres of which 

 the fishery consists, and in 1871-2, 90,550, of which half 

 were also full grown, were added to their number. The 

 ground, which had previously been foul and weedy, was 

 cleaned and cultched, and Mr. Pennell reported very 

 favourably in 1871 and 1872 as to the condition and pros- 

 pects of the fishery. In the course of the latter year, how- 

 ever, the company, from motives of economy, reduced the 

 number of watchers kept by them from four to two, and it 



