288 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



immense numbers of spat bad been caught, ranging from about one- 

 sixteenth to three-eighths of an inch in diameter; the average size was 

 probably about three-sixteenths of an inch. In some cases a single 

 shell was found to giv«- attachment to more than 100 young oysters of 

 the sizes mentioned. 



It is evident, of course, that a large proportion of these, owing to 

 their being so crowded, could not possibly survive much beyond the 

 time when they would grow large enough to crowd each other and 

 come in contact at their edges. Many would necessarily be killed in 

 the course of growth from this cause, so that it follows that it is not 

 desirable that spat should catch m> thickly as in this case. Indeed it is 

 probable that a set of three to five young oysters on one shell has a 

 better chance to survive than a much larger number. But the question 

 here raised can only be settled by future observations made by compe- 

 tent persons, though it is true that the author has made some observa- 

 tions which afford almost positive proof that young oysters are some- 

 times killed by overcrowding while still quite small. 



THE SET OF SPAT IN 1883 IN DIFFERENT OTHER LOCALITIES. 



The set of spat on planted shells, and on all kinds of objects in the 

 water, seems to have been unusually large during the past summer. 

 Reports from various sources indicate as much; since it is a fact that 

 shells planted in Buzzard's Bay, as noted above, have had in some 

 places an unusual crop of young oysters fixed to them. 



In Long Island Sound the planted oyster shells have had an enormous 

 number of spat attached, as is shown by a report in the Hartford Times. 



The shells in the vicinity of New Haven, according to this report, cost 

 seven cents per bushel. The firm of the Smith Brothers, who, by the 

 way, sold $30,000 worth of oysters last year, have sown 130,000 bushels 

 of shells on their 350 acres of oyster farm land this year, at a cost of 

 about $17,000. The set upon their shells is an unusually large one, and 

 has caused considerable excitement amongst the oyster-men in the 

 vicinity. 



The Smith Brothers tried only four of their beds. One of these was 

 sown with shells by a younger brother last spring, who put his mite of 

 $500 into the work. His lot seemed to be the most thickly covered with 

 spat; and one of the firm offered him $3,000 in hard cash for it, but he 

 declined the proffer with thanks. 



In Chiucote;igue liny Messrs. Pierce & Shepard have also sown some 

 ground with shells this season. The result has been most gratifying, 

 in that a very good set has been found on them. 



In the southern waters, especially in Chesapeake Bay, the sowing of 

 shells has not been practiced to the extent that it probably will be in 

 the course of the next few years, when the method is more favorably 

 known. 



