884 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. . 



It is best only to take the older of the full-grown oysters, in order that 

 the fully matured ones may get as large and as fat as possible, and pro- 

 duce the greatest possible number of young ones before they are brought 

 into the market. 



Every oyster-bed where fishing is going on ought to be examined at 

 least every two to three years to ascertain the following points : 1, the 

 numerical proportion between full-grown and half-grown oysters; 2, 

 the density of the oysters ; 3, the nature of the bottom, the fauna and 

 flora of the bed ; 4, whether the area covered by oysters has been di- 

 minished or enlarged, or remained the same. 



If movable bottom in the neighborhood of a bed becomes firm, it 

 should be covered with oyster-shells or other objects to which the young 

 oysters may cling. 



If a bed has become filled with sand or clayey mud, it ought to be 

 cleaned with oyster-nets or harrows. 



Wherever circumstances permit, the enemies of the oyster ought to 

 be kept away from the beds as much as possible. 



As not all beds produce oysters of the same fine quality, experiments 

 ought to be made to show whether young, half-grown oysters of an in- 

 ferior quality will imi)rove in flavor if transplanted to other beds having 

 better oysters. This ought, however, not to be done systematically if 

 the productiveness of the beds seems to suffer by it. The sea-water 

 which daily flows over the bed contains only a certain limited amount of 

 nutritious matter, and there is a possibility of this being exhausted. If 

 the number of oysters produced by a bed is doubled by introducing 

 oysters from other beds, only half the quantity of food comes to each 

 oyster, and its growth is retarded. 



It is fortunate that the Schleswig-Holstein oyster-beds are the prop- 

 erty of the state. If everybody could fish there, they would soon be 

 exhausted. If they are to remain a permanent source of profit to the 

 whole population of the state and of special profit to the inhabitants of 

 the coast, the quantity of oysters to be taken annually ought not to be 

 determined by the price of the oysters, but solely by the annual increase. 

 Oyster-beds ought to be worked on exactly the same principles as the 

 state forests, with a view to the welfare of the present and future pop- 

 ulation of the whole state. 



