52 OYSTER CULTURE EXPERIMENTS IN LOUISIANA. 



1908-9, though previous to these experiments the region was totally 

 unproductive. 



IG. At Seabreeze the attempt to discover a means of using excess- 

 ively soft bottom was unsuccessful. It was demonstrated that a 

 heavy strike occurs, but the salinity of the water is so high that it is 

 probable that trouble with the borer would be encountered. The 

 growth of oysters is rapid and seed planted on hard bottom in the 

 vicinity should flourish. 



17. At Pelican Lake a heavy strike occurs, but the spat are soon 

 killed by borers. The region is fairly suitable for growing market 

 oysters from seed, but the latter should be culled at least sufficiently 

 to break up the larger clusters, and the seed should not be planted 

 so densely as to be crowded when it has grown to marketable size. 



18. The oyster-food investigations carried on coincidently with the 

 experimental work were inconclusive in demonstrating a relationship 

 between the quantity of surface drainage water on the beds and the 

 production of food organisms. They showed, however, that the 

 latter are abundant in Louisiana as compared with most oyster 

 regions, 



o 



