94 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



was mixed oak and sassafras and was stuck about 18 inches to 2 

 feet into the mud. The pieces varied from about 2 inches diameter 

 to three-eighths inch at the base, and were phiced from 4 inches 

 to 2 feet apart. 



Seventeen pieces were pulled from the inshore planting. No 

 oysters were found caught on the brush. The wood was very slimy, 

 and the upper smaller parts were so rotten they broke easily. Two 

 pieces were found to have caught a few barnacles on the smaller 

 twigs. 



Twelve pieces were pulled from the second patch. No oysters 

 were found. The brush was viery slimy and the upper part broke 

 easily. One piece had caught about 40 barnacles. One large piece 

 of brush, approximately 2 inches in diameter at the base, was 

 broken in several places. No evidence of shipworm infestation was 

 found. 



Duflin Rli'er. — About 300 bundles of bi'ush, planted in July, 

 1028, along the western side of the Du])lin River about one-quarter 

 mile north of the Coffin Wharf, were laid horizontally and parallel 

 to the shore line at low water (spring tide) for the most part; but 

 at the southern end of the line bundles were laid from low water 

 to high water parallel to the shore line, and a second layer laid 

 over these at right angles to the shore line. At the time of this 

 examination, the line of brush was about 75 yards long, but stakes 

 were visible for another 25 yards at the northern end. It is likely 

 that much of the bi'ush had been swept away dui'ing the winter. 

 I'lie pile of brush at tlu' south end of the line was practically cov- 

 ered with mud, so tiiat the lower layer was hardly visible. The 

 effect of this pile apparently was to act as a weir and to cause a 

 lieav}^ deposition of silt at this point. The mud here was 12 to 18 

 inches deep and apparently had overlaid a shell bank, for firm 

 bottom was found below the mud. The brush running along the 

 low-water mark was mostly from li/4 to 2 inches in diameter at the 

 base, 4 to 12 feet long, and was composed of mixed oak and sassafras. 

 The brush was either piled very loosely or else many pieces had 

 been swept away during the winter. 



In general the catch of oysters on the ])rush in this region was 

 very good. (Figs. 19, 20.) It was noted that the larger brush was 

 more heavily covered with oysters than the smaller branches and 

 twigs, although a few oysters were found on the latter. 



Six hundred and thirty oysters caught on brush were measured 

 for length and width. By referring to Figures 21 and 22, it will 

 be seen that both frequency curves show two well-separated peaks 

 indicating the presence of two distinct classes of oysters: One com- 

 ])rising the oysters of from 3 to 25 millimeters long and 1.5 to 15 

 millimeters wide (i/s to 1 inch x -^^ to % inch), and the other class 

 formed by the individuals of from 25 to 70 millimeters long and 

 from 15 to 45 millimeters wide (1 to 2% inches x % to 1% inches). 

 The majority of the oysters of the first class were 6 to 8 millimeters 

 long and i\ to 8 millimeters wide, while the majority of the second 

 class oysters wci-e 42 to 45 miHim(>t(>i\s long and 27 to 30 millimetei's 

 wide. It is highly piohable that the smallci- oysleis caiiH^ fi-ojn an 

 early s|)awning in Alarch, 1929, while the larger ones wei-e undoubt- 

 edly (hose that had set in the summer of 1928. 



