F. S. Wright 



141 



In order to determine the readings given below, a number of mussels 

 of the required measurement were heated until they maintained a 

 constant weight in an air oven at a temperature of 100° to 105° C. The 

 shells and byssus fibres were of course removed. At the conclusion of 

 the period of desiccation the weights of the residues were determined by 

 a balance, and the average weight calculated. 



I am greatly indebted to Dr T. Campbell James, of the Edward 

 Davies Chemical Laboratory, U.C.W. Aberystwyth, who kindly worked 

 out these results, and who is responsible for the figures given in the 

 following table. 



Average Dry Weight of Organic Matter {Flesh Content). 



* Therefore, the approximate increase in flesh content made during the close season 

 is 114%. 



The Maximum Potential {Ideal) Productivity of the 

 Aberdovey Mussel Beds, and its Money Value. 



At Aberdovey, theoretically, a "bag" of mussels, as packed for 

 export, contains one hundred pounds of the shellfish. Actually, it 

 weighs about 125 lbs. in order "to allow for the decrease of weight 

 consequent on the loss of moisture during transit to the various market 

 centres." 



It was necessary to estimate, approximately, the number of mussels 

 of different sizes contained in a bag of 125 lbs. In order to do this, 

 several pounds of each of the sizes required were weighed, and the 

 number per bag calculated from the figures so obtained. 



We have seen already that 121 mussels each '2\" in length can thrive 

 in a space of one square foot. Let us assume that the Aberdovey beds 

 are populated to this extent. We see that, in order to fill one bag 

 with 2|" mussels, the total population of nearly fourteen square feet 

 is required. The estimated total area available for mussel culture at 



10—2 



