The Growth of the Soft Clam 299 



slates interested in the oyster industry alone, in surveys 

 and in experiment, has been great, and is now sincerely 

 appreciated. Now that the nation has been wakened in a 

 wonderful manner to the necessity of saving what re- 

 mains of its natural resources, and of increasing them 

 when possible, it is an encouraging and stimulating thing 

 to possess so many demonstrations of the ease with 

 which vast material results may be obtained by working 

 intelligently with nature instead of against her. 



What may be a relatively unimportant example of the 

 nature of such work, is afforded by the clam problem 

 that effects the north Atlantic shore. When it became 

 evident that the soft clam industry was rapidly becom- 

 ing ruined, a study of the subject was begun by the 

 writer in 1898 at the suggestion of Dr. H. C. Bumpus, 

 with a view of determining the conditions governing the 

 life of Mya, the rapidity of its growth, and other facts 

 that might lead to the development of a practical method 

 of clam culture. This result was arrived at, and has 

 been thoroughly tried and proved by state commissions, 

 especially in Massachusetts. All that is now necessary 

 for the rapid regeneration and improvement of the soft 

 clam industry is the formulation of state laws giving 

 titles to bottoms where it may be carried on. 



Most of the early experiments were made on beaches 

 where conditions were recognized as being unfavorable, 

 because facilities for the work were not to be had else- 

 where. Tide currents especially were sluggish on some 

 of the ground, and on many of the beds that were con- 

 structed there was little more than a quiet rise and fall 

 of water. These facts make the results all the more re- 

 markable. 



The plan followed was to select bottoms for the ex- 



