OYSTER CULTURE EXPERIMENTS IN LOUISIANA, 



33 



matcly as rich as on tho Falseniouth Bay plantation or at Bayou St. 

 Donis. in JotVorson Parish, 



The foUowini:: tahh> exhibits the observed data in respect to the 

 oyster food supply, the specific jrravities, and the temperatures of 

 the water at the plantation: 



Food Contknt. Spkcific (Jr.vvity, .\nd Temperature of \V.\teu in Thref.-milk 



.VM) Nine-mile Bays. 



During the investigations of 1898 a few borers were found in 

 Three-mile and Xine-mile bays, but none were observed during the 

 experiments here dealt with, and it is probable that they are never 

 destructive owing to the prevailing low salinity of the water. There 

 were, however, many mu-ssels attached to the oyster clusters, and in 

 some cases they undoubtedly interfered materially w^ith the growth 

 of the oysters and seriously curtailed their food supply. 



The site for the expei-iment was selected partly for the sake of 

 comparison with the work in Falseniouth Bay, and partly because it 

 was located on leased bottom and under the care of a watchman. 

 The plantings were made practically synchronously with those in 

 Falseniouth Bay. and in essentially the same manner excepting that 

 no clam shells were used. The first plant was made on Ma}' 8, 1906, 

 and others followed on June 9 and July IG, 1906; April 12, May 15, 

 June 9, and July 7, 1907, and on April 23 and June 6, 1908. In all, 

 16 plantings were made, of which in 11 cases the shells were spread 

 broadcast, and in 5 cases in heaps of from one-half to 1 bushel each. 

 As in Falseniouth Bay. the quantity of shells varied from 200 to 

 1,000 bushels per acre. 



