48 



?ny commercial importance. The bottom is in most cases made 

 up of very soft mud ; but in some of the ponds it is of sufficient 

 firmness to support seed oysters. The salinity of the water in 

 most of these ponds was about 1.016, and the amount of oyster 

 food was always large. 



The only portion of Timhalier Bay visited was that which 

 hes to the north of the mouth of Grand Pass Felicity. Along the 

 northwest shore of this bay above this pass there are several 

 small dead reefs where no oysters were to be found. Farther to- 

 the north there was a good-sized productive reef lying in a deep 

 cove. When this reef was visited, in May, 1906, it consisted 

 almost entirely of small oysters and shells — apparently the 

 cullings left from the fishing of the previous winter. The ab- 

 sence of all large oysters would indicate that the reef was being 

 fished beyond its power of recuperation, and that its destruction 

 i,'j an assured fact if the present rate of fishing is continued for a 

 few years longer. In some small bays at the northern extremity 

 of Timbalier Bay we found several old reefs; but none where 

 there were living oysters in any abundance. On the northeast 

 side of the bay there were some old reefs; but no living oysters 

 were found outside of the leases. The bottom was everywhere 

 soft outside of the living or extinct reefs. In some places it 

 was so soft that a pole would sink to a depth of several feet ol' 

 its own weight. In other places the bottom was firm enough to- 

 support seed oysters ; but the firmer areas were of limited extent 

 and widely scattered. 



OYSTER PLANTING IN TERREBONNE PARISH. 



The most important change that has taken place in the 

 status of the oyster industry of Terrebonne Parish in the ten 

 jears since this region was visited by Dr. Moore has been the 

 more general application of cultural methods. Within this 

 period of time it has become more and more apparent to every- 

 one connected with the oyster industry that the supply from the 

 natural reefs was by no means adequate to fill the demand for 

 oysters in the markets of this State to say nothing of looking to 

 those of a greater territory. While in 1898 practically all of 

 the oysters taken in this parish came directly from the natural 

 reefs, at the present time the greater part of them come from' 



