﻿OYSTERS 
  AND 
  METHODS 
  OF 
  OYSTER-CULTURE. 
  329 
  

  

  however, 
  by 
  some 
  loss 
  in 
  simplicity 
  of 
  construction 
  and 
  operation 
  of 
  

   the 
  apparatus 
  and 
  at 
  the 
  expense 
  of 
  the 
  escape 
  of 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  embryos. 
  

   Plate 
  III 
  shows 
  the 
  original 
  plans 
  modified 
  by 
  the 
  addition 
  of 
  sluice- 
  

   gates. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  thought 
  that 
  this 
  method 
  of 
  utilizing 
  cultch 
  may 
  solve 
  the 
  

   problem 
  of 
  the 
  culture 
  of 
  the 
  eastern 
  oyster 
  upon 
  the 
  Pacific 
  coast. 
  

   Two 
  chief 
  difficulties 
  there 
  interfere 
  with 
  the 
  obtaining 
  of 
  a 
  strong 
  set: 
  

   the 
  temperature 
  of 
  the 
  water 
  is 
  in 
  most 
  places 
  too 
  low 
  to 
  insure 
  active 
  

   spawning, 
  and, 
  secondly, 
  the 
  young 
  of 
  the 
  imported 
  species 
  is 
  crowded 
  

   out 
  by 
  the 
  rank 
  growth 
  of 
  the 
  native 
  oyster. 
  It 
  is 
  probable 
  that 
  both 
  

   of 
  these 
  difficulties 
  might 
  be 
  overcome 
  by 
  the 
  use 
  of 
  Dr. 
  Ryder's 
  method 
  

   or 
  some 
  modification 
  thereof. 
  There 
  is 
  little 
  doubt 
  but 
  that 
  the 
  ebb 
  

   and 
  flow 
  of 
  the 
  tides 
  through 
  the 
  chanuels 
  couUl 
  be 
  so 
  regulated 
  that 
  

   a 
  sufficient 
  quantity 
  of 
  water 
  would 
  remain 
  at 
  low 
  tide 
  to 
  temper 
  that 
  

   which 
  would 
  flow 
  in 
  at 
  flood 
  tide. 
  The 
  shallowness 
  of 
  the 
  pond 
  should 
  

   render 
  it 
  so 
  susceptible 
  to 
  the 
  effect 
  of 
  the 
  sun's 
  rays 
  that 
  a 
  tem- 
  

   perature 
  several 
  degrees 
  higher 
  than 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  neighboriug 
  water 
  

   could 
  be 
  maintained, 
  and 
  in 
  some 
  places 
  these 
  two 
  or 
  three 
  degrees 
  

   are 
  perhaps 
  the 
  measure 
  between 
  success 
  and 
  failure 
  in 
  obtaining 
  a 
  set 
  

   of 
  spat. 
  

  

  The 
  eastern 
  oyster 
  spawns 
  at 
  67° 
  or 
  68° 
  F., 
  but 
  does 
  better 
  at 
  70°. 
  

   Ponds 
  such 
  as 
  that 
  described 
  might 
  be 
  located 
  in 
  connection 
  with 
  the 
  

   sloughs 
  communicating 
  wifh 
  the 
  bays, 
  and, 
  as 
  Mr. 
  C. 
  II. 
  Townsend 
  

   says 
  that 
  the 
  native 
  Pacific 
  coast 
  oyster 
  does 
  not 
  flourish 
  in 
  such 
  

   places, 
  the 
  imported 
  species 
  would 
  doubtless 
  have 
  a 
  better 
  opportunity 
  

   of 
  survival 
  during 
  its 
  early 
  career, 
  the 
  period 
  when 
  it 
  is 
  especially 
  

   liable 
  to 
  suflbcation 
  by 
  foreign 
  organisms. 
  If 
  necessary, 
  a 
  filter, 
  such 
  

   as 
  is 
  described 
  on 
  pp. 
  330-332 
  of 
  this 
  paper, 
  might 
  be 
  introduced 
  into 
  

   the 
  mouth 
  of 
  the 
  canal. 
  This 
  would 
  to 
  some 
  extent 
  interfere 
  with 
  

   the 
  ebb 
  and 
  flow 
  of 
  the 
  tides 
  between 
  the 
  pond 
  and 
  the 
  slough 
  or 
  bay, 
  

   but 
  it 
  might 
  be 
  the 
  very 
  thing 
  necessary 
  to 
  retard 
  the 
  interchange 
  

   sufficiently 
  to 
  allow 
  the 
  water 
  in 
  the 
  pond 
  to 
  become 
  warmed 
  by 
  the 
  

   sun. 
  

  

  The 
  experiment 
  is 
  at 
  least 
  worthy 
  of 
  a 
  trial, 
  and 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  the 
  means 
  

   of 
  saving 
  to 
  the 
  planters 
  of 
  the 
  Pacific 
  coast 
  the 
  large 
  sums 
  of 
  money 
  

   which 
  are 
  now 
  annually 
  expended 
  in 
  transporting 
  seed 
  oysters 
  across 
  the 
  

   continent. 
  The 
  experimenter, 
  if 
  successful, 
  Avould 
  reap 
  the 
  benefit 
  of 
  

   his 
  own 
  success. 
  The 
  brood 
  oysters 
  used 
  in 
  stocking 
  the 
  pond 
  should 
  

   preferably 
  be 
  plants 
  of 
  several 
  years' 
  standing, 
  as 
  such 
  would 
  be 
  more 
  

   likely 
  to 
  be 
  acclimated 
  than 
  those 
  brought 
  from 
  the 
  East 
  but 
  a 
  short 
  

   time 
  prior 
  to 
  the 
  experiment. 
  

  

  