236 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



had made a good growtli during the present season. The bottom of 

 these ponds also needs to be excavated in certain phices in order to 

 make them deeper and available for jdanting purj^oses. The bottom 

 over almost the entire extent of these ponds is hard enough to support 

 the planted oysters, so that no further preparation is needed in them 

 than some slight excavating, which I think might be done at low tide 

 with a scoop and a pair of horses or oxen. 



The open grounds, or those not yet inclosed but which open to the 

 creek, are also valuable, since there is an " oyster bar " on this part of 

 the property which could be worked to advantage for supplies of seed 

 oysters in "shelling" and ordinary planting, besides which it might be 

 considerably extended by judiciously directed efl'orts. 



The many desirable features which now unite in Saint Jerome's Creek 

 Station as an experimental establishment would render it now in the 

 highest degree impolitic to abandon the place, especially in view of the 

 large expense already incurred in its equipment and the really valuable 

 improvements which have resulted from that expenditure. 



The fact that oyster spat could be taken at Saint Jerome's has been 

 abundantly proven, as shown by my results in 1880; and I doubt if any 

 other place on the Chesapeake offers advantages which in reality sur- 

 I)ass those now existing at this station. 



The Avork now to be done is of that character which will enlist the 

 sj^mpathy and interest of the oystermen of the vicinity. We have it in 

 our power to do considerable this season towards demonstrating that 

 the culture of oysters can be so greatly improved by simple and ra- 

 tional methods that the ordinary cultivator may safely undertake the 

 work. 



The cultivation of "cove" oysters must also be insisted upon, and 

 inasmuch as Saint Jerome's really fulfills the conditions ordinarily found 

 in the best "coves," the extension of that form of the oyster industry 

 may be greatly aided at this station ; since it is well known to dealers 

 that such oysters are more valuable in the markets, and better in 

 every way, it will be our province to show how this kind of work may 

 be increased, as I have already shown why such is the case in Ibrmer 

 reports. 



Altogether, I therefore report favorably to you of the station and its 

 future, though I am not unmindful of the fact that it may happen that 

 the efibrt to make improvements during the summer may cripple the 

 experimental work ; so that I would suggest that the experiments in 

 culture and spat collecting be pushed with unremitting vigor from the 

 25th or latter part of June to the 1st of September next, so as to ob- 

 tain as large a showing of valuable data as possible, and, if possible, 

 not to permit any other work to interfere with the obtainment of tangi- 

 ble results. 



The entire bottom of the canal, 5 to 6 feet in depth, is also available 

 for cultural experiments to test the effects of currents in fattening and 



