REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 85 



for i:)ractical experiments in that line. During a visit to Willapa Bay 

 in 1893, the Commissioner of Fisheries was much impressed with the 

 advantages which that locality seemed to ofter in respect to oyster- 

 culture, and arranged for investigations to determine the most favorable 

 site for making a preliminary planting of the eastern species. This 

 examination was made in October, 1894, by Mr. C. H. Townsend. 



Willapa Bay, which indents the southern part of the coast of Wash- 

 ington, is about 25 miles long, with an average width of about 5 miles- 

 It contains extensive shoals and tide flats, but deep channels make 

 navigation possible through most of its extent. There are several 

 tributary streams, none of which are navigable for more than a few 

 miles above their mouths and some not at all. The iiatural oyster 

 deposits occur along the channels, from the mouth of the Willapa 

 River in the north to the extreme head of the bay in the south, but the 

 cultivated beds are coniined to the northern half of the bay. Many 

 places apparently favorable to the experiment were found in differ- 

 ent parts of the bay, but the importance of placing the introduced 

 oysters where they could be constantly under surveillance led to the 

 selection of a site in Palux Channel, close by the village of Bay Center. 

 The conditions here seem to be as favorable as in any part of the 

 bay. The channel lies well back of extensive flats, which would have 

 a tendency to increase the summer temperature, which is desirable, 

 and it has a depth of 8 feet at low water, sufiicient security against 

 the winter frosts that injure oysters on shallow, transplanted beds. 

 The bottom is firm, and is well supplied with native oysters, while 

 starfishes are reported to be less abundant here than elsewhere. 

 The stingrays, so destructive to oysters in Californian waters, are not 

 found on the coast of Washington, and the placing of a fence of closely 

 driven stakes about the beds, so essential in San Francisco Bay, will 

 not be necessary here. The most uncertainty arises in regard to the 

 question of temperature, and this matter can only be settled by actual 

 experiment in the manner now to be done. 



The planting was made in the fall of 1894, under the supervision of 

 Mr. Townsend and with the cooperation of the State fish commissioner 

 of Washington, Mr. James Crawford, a large number of the oyster- 

 men of the region being also present. The oysters were shipped from 

 New York City on October 26, making up a carload of 80 barrels, 

 representing the following well-known oyster localities, namely: East 

 River, 13 barrels; Princess Bay, 14 barrels; Newark Pay, 8 barrels 

 (seed oysters): Raritan Bay, 10 barrels (natural growth); Keyport, 23 

 barrels; Chesapeake Bay, 12 barrels. They were planted seventeen 

 days later, an examination of each barrel as it was opened showing the 

 oysters to be in good condition, only a very small number of dead ones 

 being found. The entire lot was massed in one locality, covering au 

 area of about 3 acres, thereby increasing the chances of fertilization 

 and making it more convenient to keep track of and protect the bed. 



Early in the spring of 1895 Mr. N. B. Miller, of tlie steamer Albatross, 



