78 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The nearest approach to planting as it is practiced elsewhere in the 

 State— at Bayou Cook, for instance — is done by a man who has been 

 bringing oysters from Grand Pass (Oyster Bay) and bedding them 

 near Pirate Point for a few days. The culls and shells are thrown 

 down on the bottom adjoining, and this has resulted in the formation 

 of beds which he reserves for his private use. 



Such is the i^resent extent of planting, if it may be so called, in the 

 parish of St. Bernard. A very large part of the bottom in this region 

 is probably unsuitable in its natural state for oyster-culture, but were 

 the profits sufficient to warrant it there is no doubt that much of it 

 could be improved in a manner to make it available, as will be poirted 

 out hereafter. 



There is some bottom, not on the natural reefs, which is suitable in 

 its natural or unimproved condition, but the patches of hard bottom 

 are usually small and scattered, and, in the absence of anything more 

 than a mere reconnaissance, such as the time at the disposal of the 

 party made possible, the exact locations of these places can not be 

 indicated. There are a number of such places in East Karako Bay, 

 however, where both the bottom and density are favorable, and other 

 localities are indicated in a general way on the chart. 



In False-mouth Bay the bottom consists of a firm clay mud similar 

 to the soil of the surrounding marshes and apparently well adapted to 

 oyster-culture. There are no natural-bed oysters in this region except- 

 ing a few near Shell Signal and around some of the islands at the 

 southern end of Nine-mile Bayou. 



It is stated by the oystermen that but few oysters have ever existed 

 here, a condition brought about ai)pareutly by the absence of suitable 

 I)laces of attachment, as practically no shells or other hard bodies 

 were found on the bottom. It seems probable that, by sowing shells 

 with some brood oysters to furnish spat, successful culture might be 

 here carried on, the only drawback being the low salinity of the water, 

 which, at the time of our visit, February 12 and 14, 1898, ranged be- 

 tween 1.00514 and 1.00664, and rendered the oysters insipid, notwith- 

 standing their fatness. This density was probably nearly normal for 

 the season, but, as elsewhere in the region, it is subject to great fluctu- 

 ation according to the rainfall and the prevailing winds, and in summer, 

 between Ai^ril 1 and September 15, it is considerably higher than at 

 the time our observations were made. 



OYSTER-PLANTING IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH. 



East side of river. — In that portion of the Parish of Plaquemines 

 east of the Mississippi Eiver, oyster-culture is not extensively carried 

 on, but in the vicinity of Quarantine Bay, in Bayou Tortillon, and in the 

 northern part of Bird Island Sound near the Salt Works Canal, there 

 are a few men engaged in the industry. Oysters are taken from the 

 natural beds, separated from the clusters, and replanted on private 

 beds. The princii)al advantage which this region possesses appears to 



