FISHERIES OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDA. 71 



however, has never been very large, not even enough being taken to 

 meet the demands of the local market. Owing to excessive tonging 

 and the effects of storms, the supply has been steadily decreasing. 

 The heavy storm of July 7, 1896, was especially destructive, and nearly 

 effected the ruin of all the beds in both bays by sweeping some of the 

 reefs clean and by Hooding the others with mud. Accompanying the 

 storm was a heavy rainfall which caused the Escambia and other rivers 

 emptying into the bays to rise to a great height, making the water on 

 the oyster- grounds so fresh that most of the oysters that had survived 

 the storm were killed. The greatest damage was done in Escambia 

 Bay. In the fall and winter of 1890-97, almost the only places where 

 oysters could be secured were in East Bay and Blackwater Bay, an off- 

 shoot of East Bay, where the beds were somewhat protected. 



Perdido Bay, which is on the line dividing Florida and Alabama, at 

 one time contained a number of good oyster beds which yielded a large 

 supply each year. The entrance to the bay from the Gulf is quite tor- 

 tuous and some years ago in an effort to straighten it by cutting new 

 channels through several points, it is reported that the water was made 

 too salty and the oysters died. The few oysters still surviving do not 

 pay for the labor of tonging. 



The decrease in the productiveness of the natural beds has led to the 

 institution of oyster-culture, and it seems probable that the business 

 of the future will depend largely on cultivation. It is stated that 

 oyster-planting in this region began in 1888, when one person planted 

 about 0,009 bushels on prepared ground in Escambia Bay and Santa 

 Bosa Sound; in the two following years 7,500 and 12,000 bushels of 

 seed, respectively, were planted. The seed were obtained in Escambia, 

 East, and St. Andrews bays. From this the business increased until 

 now there are a number of persons having beds of cultivated oysters 

 in the vicinity of Pensacola. The bottom on nearly all sides of Escam- 

 bia Bay is from to 10 feet deep, and is a mixture of sand and mud 

 that is thought to be well adapted to the raising of oysters. 



No difficulty has been experienced in the business except that of 

 keeping poachers off the beds. The stealing of oysters became such a 

 nuisance and caused so much loss that owners of cultivated beds joined 

 together for mutual protection and had several trespassers arrested 

 and convicted. Lately the legislature passed a law providing that the 

 owner of the shore front is the only one who can establish an artificial 

 bed; he is allowed to take up 200 yards of shore extending out to the 

 main channel. As a large part of the land along these bays belongs to 

 nonresident persons who purchased it for the timber and who have no 

 inclination to engage in oyster-culture, this law renders unavailable 

 considerable good bottom. The planting of oysters and the claiming 

 of ownership in the beds so planted is not popular among the tongers 

 of Pensacola, and it would appear that sufficient protection is not 

 afforded by the State. The artificial beds suffered equally with the 

 natural grounds during the storm of July 7, 1896, and it is possible 



