48 



shells it is customary to spread them as evenly as possible over 

 the bottom so that they will offer the greatest amount of surface 

 for the attachment of the spat. When the bottom is very soft 

 so that the shells would sink before the young oysters would 

 have become large enough to successfully overcome such condi- 

 tions, it is necessar^^ to make some special provision for harden- 

 ing the bottom. In such eases the shells may simply be planted 

 more thickly so that some of the upper ones will be kept above 

 the mud ; or, as is more satisfactory, the bottom may be surfaced 

 with a layer of shells some time before the actual planting of the 

 clutch, the latter being put down at the beginning of the breed- 

 ing season so that they will be in good condition nt the time 

 when the fry are abundant in the waters. 



The quantity of shells to be planted per acre will depend 

 to a great extent on the character of the bottom in question, be- 

 ing, of course, greater where the bottom is at all soft. In any 

 case enough shells should be used to assure the complete cover- 

 ing of the bottom with a layer at least one shell deep. If evenly 

 distributed, 2,000 bushels of shells will give a layer one shell 

 in thickness over one acre and the amounts necessary to pre- 

 pare any bottom may be reckoned on this basis. 



When single valves of the oyster shell are used for j)lant- 

 ing it will be found that they will fall with the concave side 

 of the shell uppermost, so that the edges of the shell on the 

 under side will remain clean for the longest time and the 

 largest number of spat will become attached to this part of 

 the shell, although all be of equal cleanliness. Since the oyster 

 fry seem to prefer the under side of the shells as a place of 

 attachment, it follows that by putting down a sufficient quan- 

 tity of shells to make a layer two or more shells in thickness, 

 there will be a mu'ch greater surface exposed on the under side 

 of the shells and the chances of a good set of spat thereby 

 increased. 



OTHER FOE MS OF CLUTCH. 



While oyster shells are the most frerriputlv used for clutch, 

 thei-e are several disadvantages in the use of this material which 

 may be overcome to a great extent by the use of some other 

 f('rm of cluteli. The ovster shells on account of their size afFord 



