18 



are not depleted, bottom not available for bedding may be used, 

 and, above all other considerations, every oyster grown on such 

 artificial beds is a direct addition to the supply existing in the 

 v/aters of the State. 



Practical demonstrations of the utility of this method of 

 oyster culture in the hands of oyster culturists may be found in 

 the North Atlantic fields and, to a limited extent, in the fields 

 of this State also. The restocking of the depleted reefs in Cal- 

 casieu Pass, previously mentioned in this report, as well as the 

 practical workings of this method in some few instances in the 

 waters of Louisiana, establish beyond any doubt the utility of 

 this method for the Louisiana fields. 



In regions where there are at present no oysters it would 

 be necessary to bring in some adult oysters to furnish spat to 

 stock the plants for the first season ; but when dnce started the 

 beds are self-perpetuating, and the number of spat caught would 

 be in direct proportion to the amount of clean clutch exposed 

 ar. each breeding season. Observations made at Cameron by Dr. 

 Ivellogg in 1904 demonstrated that under favorable conditions 

 oysters in Louisiana waters become sexually mature in one year, 

 so that a few adult oysters brought into a barren region where 

 there was proper clutch would assure immense numbers of spat 

 at the second breeding season, and thus make possible the rapid 

 reclamation of barren areas without necessitating any further 

 importation of breeding oysters. 



Any bottom where there is not the danger of the shells be- 

 ing covered up by deposits of sediment may be sufficiently hard- 

 ened by an application of shells, 2,000 to 5,000 bushels per acre 

 being used. The amount of shell necessary will, of course, de- 

 pend on the character of the particular area under consideration. 



Records of the known rate of growth of oysters in some of 

 the Louisiana fields give the assurance that within two years 

 from the time of the setting of spat oysters of a marketable size 

 will have been producing in any region where physical and 

 biological conditions are favorable. 



As the result of observations extending over a period of 

 three years, made in the North Carolina oyster fields, Dr. Grave 

 says in his report : " It is better to strew shells and stock beds 



