30 OYSTER CULTURE EXPERIMENTS IN LOUISIANA, 



spawning oysters in the vicinity, as from extensive planting opera- 

 tions, this quantity may i^robably be advantageously reduced. 



The yield per acre of the planted beds could not be determined, as 

 prior to the final examination the oysters proved too attractive to 

 the tongers, and most of the plantation was despoiled of both oysters 

 and shells. Certain small areas which had been overlooked by the 

 marauders, however, indicated that the growth on some sections at 

 the end of about thirty months from the time the shells were planted 

 was probably between 1,000 and 1,500 United States standard 

 bushels per acre. The oysters were of good shape and very fat. 

 Those grown on oyster shells were from 3f to 4|^ inches long and 

 averaged about 200 to the bushel, while those on clam shells were of 

 even finer shape and averaged about 3 inches in length. The shells 

 were rather thin, but somewhat thicker in the clam-shell set than 

 on that attached to the oyster shells, in the former consituting TO per 

 cent of the total volume of the unopened oyster, and in the latter 55 

 per cent. The oyster-shell set averaged about 200 oysters to the 

 standard bushel, considerably more than oysters of the same length 

 at Bayou St. Denis, the difference being due to the much thicker, 

 heavier shells of the latter. These oysters, taken " the run of the 

 bed," without selection, shucked slightly over 7 pints of completely 

 drained meats per standard bushel. The single oysters grown on 

 clam shells were relatively fatter, but owing to their thicker shells 

 would '' turn out " no more meat per bushel. 

 Taking all factors into consideration, Falsemouth Bay appears to 

 possess very great advantages for planting operations on a large 

 scale in connection with the shucking trade, but the salinity is too 

 low and the shells are rather too thin, excepting those grown on clam 

 shells, for raising " shell stock " or " counter " oysters. 



The bottom is almost everywhere firm enough for planting, the 

 rate of growth is rapid, the shape of the oysters is good, and the 

 relatively thin shells, taken in connection with the plumpness of the 

 meats, insures a large yield of shucked oysters per bushel, effecting 

 economy in transportation and opening. The meats are also attrac- 

 tive in appearance and should command a good price as " extra 

 selects." 



The only drawback is that the shells are in some cases rather brit- 

 tle and may break in opening, but this defect is more than counter- 

 balanced by the large quantity of meats "turned out " per bushel. 



Either seed oysters from the natural reefs or cultch may be planted 

 to advantage. In the latter case it is not unlikely that, if a consid- 

 erable part of the bay is converted into oyster bottom, the set of spat 

 may be so heavy as to require the clusters to be broken up at the end 

 ^f the first season's growth. 



