60 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



the suitable ground in the exhausted river for cultivation, that the town voted to not avail itself of the privileges 

 granted by the state, in general statutes, which are as follows: 



Sec. 12. " The selectmen of Guilford may lease, for not exceeding ten years, all ground of the town in East and West rivers, suitable 

 for planting or cultivating oysters, to the highest bidder," at public auction ; but no lease shall be made to any person of more thau live 

 acres, nor to a minor. " The leases shall be executed by the selectmen, as deeds of real estate, reserving to said town the rents for such 

 grounds, * * » and any lessee shall, during the term of his lease, be the owner of all the oysters thereon, but shall not take any oysters 

 therefrom in the night season." 



This ratification, as I have stated, was refused, and a two-bushel protective regulation was made instead. 



About COO acres of land have been set apart for oyster-cultivation iu the waters of the sound, outside of this 

 harbor, besides that already mentioned near shore. No improvement, however, has yet been made upon this area. 



Oyster-cultuee in Stony Creek. — The next point of oyster-culture is Stony Creek, where the large 

 collection of islets known as The Thimbles affords excellent opportunity for planting and raising. Organized 

 business here is of comparatively recent date, but native oysters of extra quality were always to be had for the 

 raking in the harbor. The largest dealer is the Stony Creek Oyster Company, N. P. Miner, president, which was 

 established in 18G8, and now owns 400 acres of ground devoted to the growing of oysters, and has a capital stock 

 of $42,000. 



The Stony Creek Oyster Company raises annually about 15,.500 bushels of natives, and employs six men. All 

 the stock is sold in shell, shipping in barrels, and opening little or nothing. The other persons engaged in planting 

 have spent a good deal of money here in getting the foundation of a business laid, but with small actual results as 

 yet. There is also a large class of citizens who cultivate for personal use, or sell to a trifling extent, and so get a 

 partial support out of the industry. It was very difficult to gather any exact or approximate figures, therefore, 

 outside of the oyster company's report ; but I judge that all the other producers together, added to the 15,500 

 bushels reported by President Miner, will not bring the total j^roduction of Stony Creek, in 1879, above 20,000 

 bushels. 



The prospects at this point seem very good. Some large sloops are employed in dredging, and it is proposed 

 to employ steam very soon. An air of unusual thrift is observable about the oyster-houses on the shore, which do 

 not, as is too often the case, disfigure the pleasant scene. Stony Creek is a favorite source of seed-supply to the 

 planters of Ehode Island, and probably one-fourth of the year's yield is sold in the spring for this purpose, the 

 purchasers sending sloops to be loaded. Stony Creek beds had a good set in 1879, very little in 1878, but a massive 

 collection of spawn in 1877. The great obstacle to success along this part of the coast, is the lack of smooth, hard 

 bottom, and the liability of the ever-present mud, to be moved about and settle ui^on the oyster-beds in such quantities 

 as to kill the young and stunt the old ones. The oysters grow in clusters, and are likely to be of large size, long 

 and slender, forming " coon-heels" and " razor-blades". They are so clogged with mud when brought ashore, that a 

 stream from a hose must be turned upon the heap before the clusters can be broken apart, preparatory to the 

 culling tor size. 



Oyster- CULTURE in Branfohd and East Haven. — At Branford, a few miles westward, about the same 

 state of things exists, and there are some additional discouragements, making the prospect less bright than at Stony 

 Creek. Some who have tried it assert, that Branford is good for nothing as an oyster-nursery, but others have 

 a brighter faith. It formerly had more prosperity than at present, in this line. The river was a gieat natural 

 ojster-bed, but has now become nearly depopulated, and it is hard to get any seed for the outer beds. The starfishes 

 are reported to have damaged the beds very greatly in 1878, and the drill is an ever present enemy. Southerly 

 storms often bury the oyster-beds here wholly out of sight. This misfortune happened to one planter, after an 

 expenditure of over $1,200 on artificial beds inside of Stony island. The whole product of the locality last year, 

 was about 3,500 bushels, and half a dozen families are supported. Ofl' Branford and East Haven's coast, in the 

 deeper water of the sound, more or less ground has been granted to strangers, but the results are nothing, as yet. 



At the village of East Haven about 80 acres are under cultivation in the ott'-shore waters of the sound, 

 devoted wholly to native oysters, for which seed is procured from neighboring beds, or spawn is caught on planted 

 shells. In 1879 the catch was 3,000 bushels, all of which were sold iu the shell at an average price of $1 per 

 bushel. It is supposed there remain -0,000 bushels of oysters on the ground, sitbject to risks from heavy storms 

 and creeping enemies. The mode of catching is by dredges at all seasons, and three men find employment at $2 

 wages per day. 



Statistical sujimary for eastern Connecticut. — Recapitulating the statistics of this eastern district of 

 Connecticut, we find the following result for 1879 : 



Number of acres improved, about 900 



Number of families supported, about 100 



Number of bushels of "natural growth" oysters marketed, about 8,700 



Number of bushels of southern oysters used Ci, 000 



Number of bushels northern planted oysters sold, about - 34, 000 



Number of vessels engaged : schooners, (3 ; sloops, 20 26 



Amount invested iu hxtures, etc., about S75, 000 



