56 



size of the oysters taken, so that very little except the empty 

 shells and other inert, or even harmful, material is returned to 

 the reefs. The proportion of harmful materials, chiefly mussels, 

 eonchs, sponges, etc., is relatively much higher on a reef from 

 which seed is taken than on one from which oysters are being 

 fished for the market, so that the reefs are left in much the worse 

 condition in every particular. During the past spring — April, 

 1907 — the amount of oysters removed from the natural reefs 

 to be used as seed was generally agreed to be greater by thou- 

 sands of barrels than the amount taken in any previous season; 

 while the amount fished for market during the winter was, in 

 proportion to the supply, as large as has been usual in years 

 past. It is evident, therefore, that the drain on the natural 

 reefs is increased under the cultural methods now in use, in- 

 stead of being lessened as would be the case if the most advanced 

 cultural methods were practiced. 



With the lessening of the supply of oysters on all of the 

 natural reefs, and the total failure of some of the formerly pro- 

 ductive ones, those engaged in the cultivation of oysters are 

 brought face to face with the necessity of going longer distances 

 for their seed and also with the fact that the returns for the 

 same amount of time and labor in taking seed becomes less and 

 less as the supply on the natural reefs diminishes. Besides these 

 considerations, it will be noted that the quality of the seed will 

 be lowered and a much greater amount of useless materials will 

 have to be handled to procure the same amount of seed as the 

 reefs are worked down more closely. As a natural result of 

 these conditions there will soon come a time when it will be more 

 economical for each planter to raise his own seed, or to procure 

 it from some one who makes a business of this phase of oyster 

 culture. 



Under the present oyster law the taking of seed is confined 

 to the period between September 1st and April 30th, and in prac- 

 tice it is chiefly 'carried on during the month of April, when the 

 weather has become so warm that there is difficulty in keeping 

 oysters long enough to get them to market, and after they have 

 begun to have well-developed gonads— or have become milky. 

 With a general adoption of the practice of raising seed on leased 

 bottom, the restriction as to the time when seed can be taken 



