32 OYSTER CULTURE EXPERIMENTS IN LOUISIANA. 



oysters from the natural beds, but largely in the deposit of shells, 

 neither having as yet proved very profitable for reasons which were 

 developed by the result of the Bureau's experiments. 



The experimental plantation was located about one-third mile 

 west of Shell Point, practically on the border line between Three- 

 mile and Nine-mile bays, though rather in the latter than in the 

 former. It is about 2^ miles in a straight line from the Falsemouth 

 Bay plantation, though the water route between the two, owing to 

 the interposition of Pirate Point Island, is over 4 miles. South 

 Bayou, a shallow body of water with sluggish currents, opens through 

 the shore line about one-fourth mile distant. Between the plantation 

 and Raccoon Island there is a scattering natural growth of oysters 

 of fairly good shape and quality. The water at the plantation is 

 about 3| feet deep, gradually shelving to 5 and G feet toward the 

 middle of the bay. 



Tidal waters enter the bay from Nine-mile and Three-mile bayous, 

 flood tides meeting and ebb tides dividing near the plantation, and 

 as the flow through South Bayou is insignificant the currents in this 

 particular region are sluggish. The conditions in this respect are 

 better in both directions along shore, and in Nine-mile Bay near the 

 entrance to the eastern fork of Nine-mile Bayou and in most of Three- 

 mile Bay proper the water flows with fair velocity. 



The salinity of the water during the period of the experiments was 

 approximately the same as in Falsemouth Bay, the specific gravity 

 ranging from 1.0028 to 1.0088, Avith an average for all observations 

 of 1.0057. The average salinity of the waters of Three-mile Bay 

 projoer is somewhat higher, the specific gravity off Shell Point aver- 

 aging about 1.0076. The average during the oyster season was 

 slightly less. The significance of this comparative freshness of the 

 water in its effect upon the flavor of the oyster and the occurrence of 

 enemies has been mentioned in connection with the description of 

 Falsemouth Bay. 



Away from the immediate vicinity of the shore the depth of water 

 in Three-mile and Nine-mile bays is between 4 and 6 feet, with some- 

 what shoaler spots on some of the dense, natural reefs. The bottom 

 on the plantation is composed of moderately soft mud, which grows 

 softer offshore, though its consistency is such as to permit the success- 

 ful planting of shells over a considerable area. 



The supply of oyster food in Nine-mile and Three-mile bays is 

 comparatively low, on the plantation averaging but about one-half 

 the quantity per unit of water found in Falsemouth Bay. Farther 

 to the eastward, off Shell Point, the quantity is somewhat greater, 

 and to the southward the quantity increases from the mouth of 

 Falsemouth Bay to Treasure Bay, where the waters are approxi- 



