122 THE OYSTER. 



" The efforts made to grow oysters on muddy bot- 

 toms in the Poquonock River, near Groton, to which 

 reference was made in the last year's report, have 

 been uniformly successful, as many as a thousand 

 bushels of superior oysters having been obtained from 

 one acre. No particular skill is required in carrying 

 on similar experiments, and it is probable that the 

 method will be generally followed throughout the 

 State, where similar bottoms are found. 



"Artificial methods for catching spawn have re- 

 ceived little attention from Connecticut oyster grow- 

 ers, except in the case at Groton hereinafter men- 

 tioned. They are employed in a variety of ways, in 

 Europe ; clean bushes and fagots are anchored or 

 hung on chains in the vicinity of spawning beds, 

 where the prevailing currents will carry the floating 

 spawn to them. In this way immense quantities are 

 caught, and left to grow until ready for planting. 

 Clean earthen tiles, made for the purpose, are also 

 placed on and near the spawning grounds to catch 

 the spat, and they serve better than anything else for 

 this purpose. Another method is that of raising a 

 mound of rocks and gravel, about the time of spawn- 

 ing, and covering its surface with ripe brood oysters ; 

 around the mound are driven stout stakes or piles, 

 close together, so that the floating spat cannot easily 

 escape ; being thus intercepted, spat adheres to the 

 stakes, and is there left until ready for planting. 



" On the Poquonock River, near Groton, white 

 birch bushes are stuck in the river mud, about spawn- 

 ing time, in fourteen or fifteen feet of water at low 

 tide. To these the spat adheres in great quantities. 



