BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 419 



sea, where cold currents also would tend to make it still less uniform, 

 and thus interfere with the generation of the minute food of the oyster, 

 lu other words, it would appear that the effect of the French method is 

 to furnish the best conditions for the rapid and constant propagation of 

 an immense amount of microscopic food well adapted to nourish the 

 oyster 5 that, unlike oysters exposed to a rapid flow of water on a bot- 

 tom barren of minute life, they grow and quickly attain a saleable con- 

 dition. 



In this country narrow coves and inlets with comparatively shallow 

 water appear to furnish the best conditions for the nutrition and growth 

 of oysters, and according to my own meager experience these are the 

 places where we actually find the minute animal and vegetable life in 

 the greatest abundance ; and, as might have been expected, the oysters 

 planted in such situations appear to be in good condition early in the 

 autumn, long before those which are found in deeper, colder, and more 

 active water, where their microscopic food has less chance to multiply. 



As to the influence of brackish water in improving the condition of 

 oysters, let me observe here that those who hold to that opinion appear 

 to forget to bear in mind the fact that brackish water beds are often in 

 the case just described. Being in shallow, relatively quiet water, an 

 abundance of food is generated, which is rapidly consumed by the ani- 

 mals, which quickly brings the latter into condition, the brackish state 

 of the water getting the credit of the result. 



In my report to Maj. T. B. Ferguson, I stated my belief in the prac- 

 ticability of establishing permanent oyster banks or ridges. During the 

 last summer, in the Cherrystone River, Virginia, I saw my idea practi- 

 cally realized. A heap of shells in the river had been scattered so as to 

 form a low, solid elevation, which was alternately covered and uncov- 

 ered by the rise and fall of the tide. TJi)on this spat had caught in such, 

 multitudes and grown, until the whole in two years was as completely 

 and solidly covered by living, natural- growth oysters as any natural 

 bank I ha<l ever seen. The desirability of using the poorly-grown stock 

 from natural and artificial banks as "seed" for planting appears 

 reasonable, and could no doubt be made profitable where banks of suf- 

 ficient extent could be established from which a supply of seed oysters 

 could be obtained. 



Smithsonian Institution, 

 Washington, April 15, 1883. 



NOTES OIV THE FISHERIES OF CliOlJCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS. 



By S. J. ]?IARTI«r. 



[Letters to Prof. S. F. Baird.] 



The cod net fishing is done for the year. The amount of codfish 

 caught in nets during this winter was 610,000 pounds. If the codfish 

 had been plentiful the catch would have been very large. 



