OYSTER RESOURCES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 



369 



rainfall of this region is taken into consideration, there is an advantage 

 for the boat that requires no bailing- ont. 



This light-draft type of boat is well adapted to the shallow waters 

 of the bay Avhere it has developed. It will tloat more oysters in slight 

 depths of water than any vessel of its size with which I am acquainted. 

 A couple of them have recently been taken to San Francisco, where 

 they are known as Shoalwater Bay boats. In the form with flush deck 

 the oysters are kept from rolling overboard by light bulwarks, 8 or 10 

 inches high, at the sides. Another craft in use here is tlie house boat, 

 which is a simple scow, upon the deck of which a. house is constru(;ted 

 for warmth and protection in winter culling of oysters. A stove may 

 be added if desired. 



PUGET SOUND. 



The following statement of the oyster fishery of Puget Sound is from 

 the report of the State fish commissioner, Mr. James Crawford, for 1890. 

 To this I can add but little, as heavy rains and unfavorable tides did 

 not permit satisfactory investigations during my brief stay at 01ymi)ia: 



The table below gives the location of the principal transplanted oyster beds on 

 Puget Sound, average number of sacks i>roduced per week, and number of acres in 

 cultivation : 



Location. 



Weekly 

 oiitjmf, 

 sacks. 



Mud Bay 40 



Oyster Bay | 75 



Biji; Skooknin > 1.5 



Nortl) J5ay i 70 



Hood Caiial j 5U 



Saiiiish B;i V 2.5 



Scattering" • 4(i 



Total ! 345 



45 

 100 

 40 

 100 

 25 

 25 

 15 



The al)ovc average is for eight month.s in the year. During four months of summer 

 not more than one-third of the amount given above is averaged. The number of 

 acres now in cultivation could easily l)e doubled if the demand required it, and will 

 mo.st probably be, as now jierfect title can be secured to the tide lands upon which 

 the oyster beds are located. There are about 125 persons engaged in gathering 

 oj'sters in the district, 60 of whom are Indiaus. Oysters are valued at $1.75 per sack 

 of 2 bushels each. 



The industry does not appear to be a thriving one. In fact, a dozen 

 years ago, before eastern oysters and the native oysters of Willapa 

 Bay were commonly available on Puget Sound, the local resources were 

 more systematically worked than they are now. Capt. W. J. Doane, 

 of Olympia, informed me that he once had a wholesale oyster business 

 amounting to nearly l,0(Kd sacks a week. These were sui)plied to all 

 the towns of the region, from Olympia to Victoria. His trade is at 

 present confined to 01ymj)ia. 



The best native oyster localities of the region are doubtless in the 

 vicinity of this place. Budd Inlet was formerly good oystering ground, 

 H. Mis. 113 24 



