OYSTER CULTURE EXPERIMENTS IN LOUISIANA. 43 



dates, were practically devoid of living spat, although there were a 

 few dead ones bearing evidence of having been killed by borers. 



In April, 1908, when the beds were examined all sections of bed A 

 were devoid of yonng oysters. On bed B every shell tonged bore 

 numerous spat killed bj^ borers, but there were among them a few 

 young live oysters from 1 to 1^ inches long. Bed D was entirely 

 exterminated so far as living oysters were concerned, and the shells 

 were much corroded by the yellow boring sponge, which produces 

 the condition which the oystermen term " worm-eaten." 



On the section of bed E planted June 30, 1907, about 40 per cent 

 of the shells bore, each, one or two oysters about 1 to 2 inches long 

 in the following year, but an adjoining section planted in April, 

 1908, had a heavy set of spat entirely killed bj^ borers when exam- 

 ined in June. 



On the seed oysters which had been planted in this lake there are 

 a very small growth of spat, much boring sponge, and many borers. 

 This seed was obtained largely from Pointe au Fer Reef at the mouth 

 of the Atchafalaya River; it was very rough and mixed with debris, 

 and no effort appears to have been made to cull it or even to break 

 up the larger bunches. In consequence the oysters now on the beds 

 are badly "clustered and crowded, to the detriment of both shape and 

 condition. When last examined in January, 1909, they were of large 

 size, averaging, as taken from the beds, about 150 per bushel, and 

 they were plump but water}^ in appearance. 



It is probable that Pelican Lake would prove an excellent place 

 for growing oysters if clean, properly culled seed were used, and if 

 it were not planted too densely. The margin only of the lake is fit to 

 use in its unimproved condition, but the soft mud in the middle 

 should serve as a good nursery for oyster food, the supply of which, 

 in the lake at largo, is good. On the other hand, as shown by the ex- 

 periments just recounted, it would be futile to attempt to raise oysters 

 from spat caught on planted shells or other cultch, owing to the 

 favorable environment which the high salinity of the water furnishes 

 to the borer. It is probable that the numbers of this destructive pest 

 have been greatly augmented by the accessions to those naturally 

 present brought in with the rough seed from the natural reefs, 

 although, both from its location and its repute, it is not believed that 

 Pointe au Fer is especially pernicious in this respect. 



OYSTER FOOD. 



In certain parts of the Louisiana coast oystermen and planters 

 have encountered the difficulty frequent in all oyster-producing waters, 

 the constant or occasional failure of the oysters to fatten. In Three- 

 mile Bay and some of the adjacent waters, in Bay Adam and vicinity, 



