11 



ter for spat collectors in that they do not permit of so much 

 overcrowding as do the oyster shells, use only those that lie 

 above the water level, as those below water are generally covered 

 with plant or animal growth of some kind. 



I quote again from Dr. Kellogg : "In this connection, mention 

 should be made of the striking advantage that the Louisiana 

 oysterman may have in material for catching oyster spat. 

 Oyster shells are good for this purpose, but they are so large 

 that each may bear a cluster in a year's time. Smaller bodies 

 would be better. Now all along the coast are great banks of 

 small shells that would make ideal collectors. Many of these, 

 taken from the eastern end of Lake Borgne, bore single oysters. 

 All of which were of good shape. It was seldom that more 

 than one was found attached to a single shell. Several may at 

 first attach, but few can survive. In a second season, clusters 

 might form on these oysters but it would not be necessary 

 to take them up for culling until the end of the second year 

 It is possible that by using these small shells as collectors the 

 labor culture in Louisiana may for a long time be very greatly 

 reduced. ' ' 



Spawning Season. — Let us now consider at what time of the 

 year the shell ought to be placed in the water, to get the best 

 results. Obviously most spat will settle when the water con- 

 tains the most. In other words, at the height of the spawning 

 season more oyster larvae are in the water than at any other 

 time. Therefore, it is important to know the limit of the spawn- 

 ing season. Apparently in our southern waters an oyster may 

 spawn more than once a season, and in exceptional cases, spawn 

 may be thrown at any time during the colder months. Oar 

 records go to show that in the tow, oyster larvae have been 

 gotten in every month in the year, and in almost every week. 

 This exceptional spawning is by no means diundant ; as during 

 the winter months, only one or two larvae may be observed 

 in the towing of two weeks or more. Yet the fact that larvae 

 are found, leads us to believe that occasionally the oyster may 

 spawn at any time of the year, in our southern waters. Larvae, 

 from actual observation begin to increase about the last week 

 in IMarch, yet this date varies with the locality and condition of 



