76 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



meadow, but tlie fresli water will furnish a large supply of food necessary for the oysters to thrive well. The seed laid on the flats in May 

 last has increased 100 per cent., and on Black Rock bar about 50 jier cent. The young cove- or lighthouse-seed, bought of Captain 

 Luddington iu August, has at this niomcut increased 100 per cent., and astonishes us all. It is my opinion, th.at if we lay down any more, 

 in order to thrive well they should be put down at the rate of 10 bushels to the square of 30 feet. By so doing, the seed will be large 

 and sound in about one year's time. 



I have not examined the oysfers in the ditch at Fort Hale for two months, but when looked at they were in a thrifty condition, and 

 ■will be ready for market this fall, if required. The two beds opposite ship-yard in Fair Haven river, are being taken up, and Mr. George 

 Baldwin, the ship-builder, who has charge of them, says they are fat and looking well. The oysters in the cove are small, as they lie out 

 of the current ; but the clams are very abundant. Next year we shall clean up the cove. I write this In haste, as I leave for New York 

 to take command of steamer Ontario to-night, and expect to make a voyage to Europe. Will commence next March to cultivate in earnest. 



After his return from this voyage, Captain Townsend resumes his diary : 



January 1, 1871. — Having closed the oyster-season last month, and being away at sea, my brother, George H. Townsend, decided to keep 

 Anson Moulthrop watching oysters until I returned. 



Havin'T arrived at Boston, January 12, and home, January 15, I find the oyster-interest has been well looked out for, and as ice has 

 closed up the harbor, we will wait until spring, before making farther beyond watching, ete. 



March 1. — The ice has now broken vip .and left the shore and salt meadows in a very bad condition, having had several south-south- 

 west n-ales, which reached tlieir height about high water, piling the cakes of ice, some of which were 2 feet thick, one on the other, and 

 the heavy surf kept them iu constant motion, so that the whole length of the beach has been stirred up frqm Fort Hale to the creek, and 

 thousands of tons of sand have been driven upon the meadows north of the creek. On the whole, the north part of the farm has been 

 improved, but my point (the south water-front) badly injured. I also notice the ice has plowed deep furrows along the flats, and largo 

 rocks have been taken from the beach and left on the flats ; and that oysters left in holes on Black Rock bay, have been washed ojit, and 

 more than one-half carried out to sea by the ice. Those that remain, however, are of good quality, and in the sluice where the water 

 was deep enough to keep them from coming iu contact with the ice, I find them very fat and sweet. This winter has proved one thing, 

 however, that all oysters must be taken off the flats before the harbor freezes up, or frost will kill what ice does not carry off'. Of the 300 

 bushels of Virginia oysters left on Cr.ane's bar, in 4 feet of water at low tide, about three-fourths have died, but the one-fourth now living 

 have the same flavor as the native oysters, and are very fat. The native oysters have all done well. Those planted on the oft-shore acres 

 have increased about "200 per cent., and those in-shore about 150 per cent. I think we can safely estimate that the 8,500 bushels of seed 

 taken from about 3,000 bushels of shells laid down in 1868, and transplanted in April and May, 1870, will now turn out 22,000 bushels of 

 thrifty stock. 



April 1. — Began working and watching oysters. * • * We now have the ground all staked out, and find that the whips put down 

 last fall have all remained in their places, unbroken by ice, as were the larger. Hereafter we shall use whips instead of stakes. The original 

 stake on the south line is gone. 



A2>ril 10. — Mr. F began cleaning ground of the Virginia oysters i^lan ted last fall, and putting them inside of the eel-grass above 



the creek. The mud in the ditch at Fort Hale has smothered a great many of the oysters under cultivation there, and all the shells spread 

 last summer have disappeared. The heavy gales last winter have destroyed the southwest sea-wall, and killed large quantities of fine 

 oysters put there for the purpose of multiplication. We shall, however, shell the ditch again this summer, and keep up the cultivation. 



April 20.— I find that the 198 bushels of seed-oysters planted along the north line by Anson Moulthrop, April 8, 9, and 20, have not 

 thrived well, as the sea- weed grew up and choked them ; many, also, have been eaten by the sea-drills. 



April 22. — Have carefully examined the lots planted with shells, except the two most southern ones, and have not found one single 

 young oyster.* 



Alay 18. — Began taking up and planting, and am pleased to find the different beds looking so fine. 



June 24.— I find that on the acre No. 414 (planted iu August and September, 18G8, with Fair Haven river seed), where we laid down 

 2,595 bushels of oysfers, we have taken off and planted on other acres 5,070 bushels. The gain, although considerable, is not as great as 

 it would have been had the oysters been transplanted last year. On some squares of 30 feet we took up 100 bushels. I find our great 

 mistake has been that of planting the oysters too thick. New Haven harbor seed, one year old, on mud bottom, should be planted at the 

 rate of 12 bushels to 30 feet square. Then, when three years old, they will be fit to open, and if allowed to remain four years, they will 

 take up at the rate of 75 bushels to the square. 



June 28, 1871.— I have this day taken several of the brick piers used in the foundation of the barracks, just taken down at Fort Hale, 



and placed them at intervals of 30 feet along the north line of the oyster-tract adjoining land occupied by Mr. G audi B . 



The ice having destroyed our stakes, I have taken this means to preserve our north line. 



July 15, 1871.— I have carefully examined the shells this day, laid down July 7, by Goodale, and find a set of shells known as "boat8",t 

 which are the forerunners of the young oysters, and look very much like them to the inexperienced. I have not yet been able to discover, 

 even with the help of a glass, any signs of spat. 



July 20.— The native oysti^rs are now about half out of spawn, and I notice on the shells laid down July 7 and 11, a set of a greenish 

 color in spots, which may be the oyster-spat. It is my opinion, from careful observation during the last four years, that oyster-spawn, 

 after leaving the oyster, remains floating about, say a day or a week, until it matures, when It adheres to any clean, hard substance which 

 has been just thrown into the water, and is free from slime. After this the coating breaks and the spat takes the shape and form of an 

 oyster. Clean bits of wood, leather, bones, glass, iron, and stone have been picked up covered with young oysters, which proves that 

 almost any substance thrown info the water, when it is impregnated with spat, will catch it. For catching and propagating oyster-spawn 

 the French use brush, but we find that oyster-shells are better. Young New Haven native shells are considered the best, as they are thin, 

 and when the oyster grows large enough to keep out of the mud, the shells break asunder and the oyster grows in better shape. Where 

 there is much motion iu the water, stones have been used, and where the water is quiet, scallop shells are preferred by some. 



August 1.— The shells are becoming covered with some kind of spawn, green, black, and a silver color, which may bo the eggs of the 

 oyster just ready to break. 



*An entry made July 16, 1871, reads: "I find, on examining again, the set was, in spots, good enough to pay expenses." 

 + The slipper limpet or deck-head, Crepidula; three species occur in Long Island sound, of which the C. foniicala is the best known. — 

 . I. 



