XVII.— REPORT OF OPERATIONS AT SAINT JEROME OYSTER- 

 BREEDING STATION FOR THE YEAR 1886. 



By W. de C. Eavenel. 



During the greater parts of the mouths January, February, and 

 March the channel to station and the upper part of the creek was 

 frozen over, stopping all oystering and coiumunicatiou by water. 

 Records of the temperature and density of water in the ponds and bay 

 were kept during that time when practicable. 



It having been decided to continue the experiments in artificial prop- 

 agation by means of artificially-impreguated spawn on a much larger 

 scale than before aud without confining it to ponds iu which the water 

 was filtered, aud also to give Prof. John A. Ryder's system of spat col- 

 lection a fair trial, 300 bushels of oysters were purchased in April aud 

 bedded in lower pond for the artificial propagation, and 75 bushels were 

 put iu pond 5 to furnish spawn for the Ryder experiment, the flume 

 used to connect pond and chauuel haviug been taken out. 



I was ordered to Battery Station on April 21 to assist iu the shad- 

 hatchiug operations aud returned to Saint Jerome on May 20. During 

 the month of June a zigzag canal 270 feet in length, 4 feet deep, 

 aud 3J feet wide, conuectiug pond 5 and main chauuel, was dug, 

 sheathed up, and baskets made, wmich, soon after the 1st of Jul}', were 

 filled with clean shells and placed iu canal. 



The bank around the lower pond was wattled from the south end of 

 piles to wharf ou Deep Point; piles were driven around the mouth of 

 terracotta pipe connecting bay and pond 4 and inclosed with wire 

 netting to keep out sea- weed aud trash. A large quantity of sea- weed 

 having settled at wharf, the men were employed two days removing a 

 part of it; the Halcyon arriving on 30th with the Assistant Commis- 

 siouer, finished this work by means of her propeller. 



The laborers employed in digging canal, handling baskets, and other 

 general work were hired from the immediate vicinity at $1.50 per day. 



On June 23 ripe oysters were found in sufficient numbers to com- 

 mence spawning regularly. The force, consisting of four men, was em- 

 ployed daily during the season in collecting ripe oysters, distributiug 

 the artificially-fertilized spawn in ponds 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and at other 

 poiuts, and puttiug out collectors of slate and tile, coated with mortar, 

 Ll] 765 



