44 



the natural conditions to which they are subjected. When oysters^ 

 are taken from these reefs, and after having been separated, are 

 planted on a bed where they will have plenty of room and an 

 abundant food supply, they will be found to grow very rapidly, 

 while the shape and condition will improve immensely. In mak- 

 ing use of the coon oysters for seed it should be born in mind 

 that the larger and older of these oysters have reached a stage 

 in their development when they are less susceptible to the influ- 

 ence of changed conditions than are the younger ones. Conse- 

 quently the improvement in the older oysters will be very much 

 less, and will also take much slower, than in the younger ones 

 that have not become so permanently misshapen. 



The care with which the seed is prepared, that it is cleaneJ 

 and sorted, is a prime factor in its value. If the seed is put 

 down just as it is taken from the natural reef a large portion 

 of it will consist of shells and other inert matter, which be- 

 sides having no value for a possible increase, will tend to intro- 

 duce on the new plant many of the enemies which will be detri- 

 mental to the growth of the young oysters. The uneulled seed 

 is very likely to grow into poorly shaped oysters so that the 

 returns from the plant will not be so great as if properly culled 

 seed had been used. While the uneulled seed can be obtained 

 for a much lower price, per bushel, the returns from the same 

 number of acres of plant at the time of marketing the crop 

 will be so much less, that the first cost will be an insignificant 

 consideration. To get the best results the seed should be of 

 pretty uniform size so that it will all mature at practically the 

 same time. In this manner the labor in handling at the time 

 the oysters are harvested will be reduced as much as possible. 



The locality from which the seed is taken is also of im- 

 portance. Oysters taken from one locality to another, where 

 the conditions, especially the temperature and salinity of the 

 water, aro very different will not become acclimated for some 

 t\m«„ au\\ \u\ly after there has been a good deal of loss among 

 the seed. The young oysters are much more hardy and 

 stand the shocks of any change in their en\dronment better than 

 the older ones. If the larger oysters are transferred near the 

 time of the usual breeding season, it often happens that the 

 generative products degenerate so that no embryos are formed 

 at that season. ■ : 



