60 



which two ends are gained, first the hardening of the bottom, 

 and secondly the stocking of the bottom with young oysters, is 

 tc cover the bottom with whole shell valves, or with other large 

 clutch in such quantities that some of the material will remain 

 above the mud to offer a place of attachment for the spat. In 

 some localities where the bottom is composed of very deep soft 

 mud it might be found best, and most economical, to make a 

 surface of sand or of other fine material, on top of which the 

 clutch could be spread, although practically any bottom can be 

 hardened by the application of a sufficient quantity of oyster 

 shells. The important point in the consideration is the ■com- 

 parative cost of the different materials and the fact that by 

 using shells entirely many of them would be lost that might, by 

 the other method, be utilized for clutch. If the hardening of a 

 very soft bottom is done by the use of shells alone, it usually 

 happens that the set of spat will be so heavy that it will be 

 necessary to work over the young growth within a few months 

 of the time of their attachment. If the surface is made of some 

 other material, the clutch can be put down in such an amount 

 that there will be little likelihood of excessive crowding among 

 the young oysters until they are one year old. In any case it is 

 essential that the bed be worked over within the year, or there 

 will be a second growth of young on those that first became 

 attached to the shells. 



OVERSTOCKING OF SMALL BODIES OF WATER. 



Since the planting of oysters has become general in the 

 v/aters of Terrebonne Parish, it has been found that in somv. 

 localities the quality of the oysters produced has gradually de- 

 teriorated, and it has been noted that in these places the oysters 

 fail to fatten as early or as quickly as formerly. In all cases 

 where this condition was called to the writer's attention, it was 

 found that the areas concerning which there had been the most 

 cause for complaint were those that formerly produced oysters of 

 particularly good quality. In most instances these leases were 

 situated in small bodies of water, and the area under lease made 

 up the larger portion of the whole bottom. Often the barren 

 area was 'confined to a narrow strip along the shore, and all of the 

 remainder of the bottom was covered with banked oysters or 



