﻿300 
  REPORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  In 
  deeper 
  water 
  the 
  clearing 
  up 
  of 
  the 
  grounds 
  is 
  usually 
  done 
  by 
  

   means 
  of 
  the 
  dredge, 
  all 
  debris 
  being 
  carefully 
  removed. 
  This 
  work 
  is 
  

   best 
  performed 
  by 
  steam, 
  the 
  larger 
  planters 
  owning 
  vessels 
  and 
  the 
  

   smaller 
  ones 
  hiring 
  them 
  for 
  the 
  purpose. 
  The 
  work 
  with 
  sailboats 
  is 
  

   more 
  laborious 
  and 
  less 
  rapid. 
  

  

  If 
  the 
  bottom 
  is 
  firm, 
  or 
  if 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  firm 
  substratum 
  an 
  inch 
  or 
  two 
  

   below 
  the 
  soft 
  surface-layer, 
  no 
  further 
  preparation 
  is 
  needed. 
  When 
  

   there 
  is 
  a 
  soft 
  mud 
  of 
  some 
  depth, 
  however, 
  it 
  is 
  absolutely 
  necessary 
  

   that 
  the 
  surface 
  be 
  prepared 
  in 
  some 
  way 
  which 
  will 
  prevent 
  the 
  oysters 
  

   from 
  becoming 
  completely 
  submerged 
  and 
  suffocated 
  in 
  the 
  soft 
  deposit. 
  

   This 
  is 
  usually 
  done 
  by 
  distributing 
  over 
  the 
  soft 
  places 
  various 
  hard 
  

   substances, 
  which, 
  resting 
  upon 
  the 
  mud, 
  give 
  it 
  a 
  firm 
  surface 
  upon 
  

   which 
  the 
  oysters 
  may 
  repose 
  in 
  safety. 
  

  

  In 
  France, 
  where 
  the 
  lack 
  of 
  suitable 
  grounds 
  frequently 
  requires 
  

   the 
  use 
  of 
  very 
  soft 
  bottoms, 
  this 
  difficulty 
  is 
  sometimes 
  overcome 
  by 
  

   the 
  expensive 
  means 
  of 
  macadamizing 
  the 
  bottom 
  with 
  gravel 
  and 
  

   clay. 
  While 
  this, 
  of 
  course, 
  forms 
  an 
  excellent 
  bottom, 
  hard 
  and 
  

   smooth, 
  it 
  can 
  only 
  be 
  used 
  on 
  grounds 
  exposed 
  at 
  low 
  tide. 
  

  

  American 
  planters 
  usually 
  provide 
  a 
  firm 
  surface 
  by 
  strewing 
  oyster 
  

   shells, 
  clam 
  shells, 
  gravel, 
  or 
  sand 
  over 
  the 
  bottom 
  in 
  such 
  quantities 
  

   as 
  to 
  have 
  the 
  desired 
  effect. 
  When 
  shells 
  or 
  gravel 
  are 
  used 
  the 
  double 
  

   purpose 
  is 
  often 
  served 
  of 
  preventing 
  the 
  submergence 
  of 
  the 
  adult 
  

   oyster 
  in 
  the 
  mud 
  and 
  offering 
  a 
  place 
  of 
  attachment 
  for 
  the 
  spat. 
  In 
  

   certain 
  places 
  sandy 
  and 
  gravelly 
  material 
  resulting 
  from 
  dredging 
  for 
  

   harbor 
  improvements 
  has 
  been 
  utilized 
  for 
  this 
  purpose, 
  and 
  much 
  soft 
  

   bottom, 
  before 
  valueless, 
  has 
  been 
  made 
  to 
  yield 
  a 
  profitable 
  return 
  to 
  

   the 
  planter. 
  Such 
  material 
  can 
  often 
  be 
  obtained 
  at 
  a 
  very 
  small 
  cost, 
  

   sometimes 
  merely 
  for 
  the 
  expense 
  of 
  transportation 
  to 
  the 
  beds. 
  

  

  In 
  surfacing, 
  care 
  should 
  be 
  exercised 
  that 
  the 
  firm 
  layer 
  be 
  deposited 
  

   uniformly, 
  as 
  otherwise 
  the 
  muddy 
  bottom 
  will 
  be 
  exposed 
  in 
  places 
  

   and 
  the 
  oysters 
  falling 
  thereon 
  in 
  planting 
  will 
  be 
  engulfed 
  in 
  the 
  mud. 
  

   Plenty 
  of 
  material 
  should 
  always 
  be 
  used, 
  as 
  it 
  is 
  poor 
  economy 
  to 
  

   spend 
  money 
  for 
  work 
  and 
  material 
  which 
  is 
  insufficient 
  to 
  accomplish 
  

   the 
  end 
  sought. 
  The 
  exact 
  amount 
  necessary 
  will 
  depend 
  upon 
  the 
  

   character 
  of 
  the 
  bottom. 
  Where 
  it 
  consists 
  of 
  a 
  very 
  deep, 
  pulpy 
  or 
  

   flocculent 
  deposit 
  it 
  is 
  useless 
  in 
  most 
  cases 
  to 
  attempt 
  to 
  improve 
  it, 
  

   as 
  the 
  surfacing 
  material 
  will 
  sink 
  almost 
  as 
  fast 
  as 
  it 
  is 
  deposited. 
  

   In 
  places 
  perhaps 
  this 
  might 
  be 
  overcome 
  by 
  the 
  French 
  system 
  of 
  

   macadamizing, 
  but 
  as 
  more 
  suitable 
  bottom 
  is 
  abundant 
  on 
  our 
  coast 
  

   such 
  an 
  expensive 
  procedure 
  would 
  be 
  unnecessary. 
  

  

  When 
  the 
  bottom 
  is 
  properly 
  surfaced 
  with 
  coarse 
  sand 
  or 
  gravel 
  it 
  

   does 
  not 
  as 
  a 
  rule 
  require 
  another 
  coat 
  for 
  four 
  or 
  five 
  years. 
  When 
  

   there 
  is 
  a 
  rapid 
  deposit 
  of 
  mud 
  it 
  will, 
  of 
  course, 
  soon 
  become 
  covered 
  

   up, 
  but 
  a 
  location 
  where 
  this 
  takes 
  place 
  with 
  much 
  rapidity 
  should 
  

   perhaps 
  be 
  better 
  left 
  alone, 
  as 
  the 
  seed 
  oysters 
  are 
  liable 
  to 
  suffocation 
  

   by 
  the 
  deposit 
  of 
  material 
  upon 
  them. 
  A 
  strong 
  current 
  will 
  prevent 
  the 
  

   deposit 
  and 
  keep 
  the 
  surface 
  scoured 
  after 
  it 
  has 
  been 
  once 
  prepared. 
  

  

  