REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 105 



VI. The Continued Investigation of the Life History of the 

 Clam. Methods of Artifical Propagation and Cultiva- 

 tion. 



During the season of 1905 little was attempted in the artificial 

 propagation of the soft-shell clam, owing to the remarkable abundance 

 of the natural supply. The number of clams on the shores of the 

 Bay has not been so great for many years. Whereas in past years 

 the distribution of the clams has been uneven, some localities being 

 thickly set while others close by were practically barren, this year 

 the entire shores of the Bay are covered with clams. Places which 

 were good clam territory in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, but 

 which for many years have been barren, have taken part in this 

 general revival. Owing to the great abundance of clams every- 

 where, the size attained was not very great. The clams were so 

 crowded together that they could not attain full size. This fact 

 necessitated, in spite of the great abundance of clams on our own 

 shores, the shipment of clams from other States to supply the great 

 demands of our shore resorts. 



These abundant native clams are mostly from the set of 1904, 

 which, as described in the report for that year, were so abundant 

 that in one locality 4,264 were found in an area of one square foot. 

 This year the search for new set was thoroughly conducted, but, as 

 will be seen in the table at the end of this section, wdth practically 

 no result. Clam set was unusually scarce this year. 



Owing to the great abundance of clams it was a common sight to 

 see a number of diggers come week after week to the same piece of 

 shore and carry away anywhere from two bushels to a barrel each. 

 The result of this continual digging over of the shores in one spot 

 was forced upon our attention continually, and brings up the question 

 of the effect of digging on the size and number of clams. 



It is the common opinion of the clammers that digging over the 

 clams stimulates growth. The idea which they seem to have is that 



