THE OYSTER. I9I 



I also think that each public bed should be examined 

 annually in order to determine how many oysters it 

 can yield without injury. This examination should be 

 made in August or September, in order to learn how 

 many young oysters have settled upon the bed, and as 

 the analysis and publication of the results of this ex- 

 amination would require at least two months, the open- 

 ing of the public beds should be postponed as long as 

 possible. 



After the closure of the packing-houses in the early 

 spring, most of the oysters which are taken are sold 

 outside the State at a very low price to planters, who, 

 in many cases at least, resell to Maryland packers in 

 September and October at a great advance. 



If our own people would themselves engage exten- 

 sively in the planting business, or if our beds were not 

 already overtaxed, it would be wise to encourage the 

 taking of seed to be sold to Northern planters, as this 

 is one of the legitimate sources of the demand for 

 our oysters. 



As soon as our people engage extensively in oys- 

 ter-planting, and need these months to gather their 

 seed oysters, and as soon as our beds are sufficiently 

 prolific to supply Northern planters, we believe that 

 the beds should be thrown open until June 1st, or 

 even longer. 



The experience of Connecticut, where both public 

 and private beds are open throughout the whole year, 

 and are rapidly increasing in value, shows that a 

 closed season is not necessary for the preservation of 

 the beds. 



As the closed season is a matter of policy, and is 



