REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. LXV 



w. The Oyster {Osirea virginiea). 



The Saint Jerome Station. — As it had been determined to continue the 

 experiments in oyster culture at this station, which had been acquired 

 from the Maryland Fish Commission in 1882, Mr. William deC. Eavenel 

 was appointed superintendent, and ordered to the station, but owing to 

 the ice blockade in the Potomac Eiver, he did not reach his post until 

 the middle of February, and early in March he was able to commence 

 the work of the preparation of ponds. 



During the spring live ponds were constructed and provided with 

 flumes for controlling the inlet aud discharge of water on the rise and 

 fall of the tide. These ponds were from 50 to 60 feet square, and were 

 located near the dwelling-house ; they were formed by the excavation of 

 the marsh land adjacent to the cut or canal which had been dredged by 

 the engineer department. Their average depth was 3 feet at high 

 water. 



During the spawning season of the oyster. Prof. John A. Eyder was 

 sent to the station to conduct personally the experiments. From the 

 25th of June, spawn was procured regularly from the oysters taken from 

 the adjacent ponds and the bay, and after the young oysters were hatched 

 they were placed in the ponds, which had been provided with collectors 

 formed of tiles, slate, shingles covered with mortar, fagots, wheat straw, 

 shells, &c. Floating apparatus was also used, consisting of troughs, 

 or boxes with permeable ends of cloth, to admit of a change of the water 

 by the action of the tidal currents. Artificially fertilized ova were placed 

 in these boxes with very slight evidence of success. 



Into the ponds great quantities of fertilized spawn were introduced 

 from the early part of July until in September, when it became evident 

 that the breeding season was about at an end. Some spat was obtained 

 as a result of this method. But some of the ponds showed better results 

 than others, the evidence being in favor of those through which there 

 was the freest circulation of water. The results gave us a very com- 

 plete confirmation of the results obtained in 1883, at Stockton, Md.,and 

 •gave promise of further success the next season. That is, it was again 

 shown that spat could be reared in artificially constructed inclosures. 



At Wood's Holl two ponds were constructed in the fall of 1884, pro- 

 vided with very large filters at either end of the ponds. It was believed 

 that the free access and circulation thus guaranteed would greatly favor 

 our success. The subsequent trial of these ponds showed that the free 

 circulation of the water thus established was a very desirable feature, as 

 it seemed that the growth of the adult oysters in these ponds was greatly 

 favored. Very rapid growth was made by the old oysters in these in- 

 closures ; in fact one-half inch of new shell was added to the margin of 

 the valves of the old oysters in from six to eight weeks. It was also 

 shown in the course of these experiments that oysters might be success- 

 fully grown at Wood's HoU, a locality in which that mollusk had never, 

 so far as we know, been indigenous. 



