[3] SAINT JEROME OYSTER-BREEDING STATION. 767 



During 'the mouths of September and October all collectors put out 

 were taken up and overhauled. The set of spat was exceedingly poor 

 on collectors from channel and lower pouds, though 183 oysters were 

 found on one slate collector from Wrightsou's Bar. About 500 were 

 found on collectors in ponds 1, 2, 3, and 4. All those with spat were 

 placed in ponds 1 and 2 on wire trays, resting on bottom. 



On September 13, finding the oysters in pond 5 dying in great num- 

 bers from the effect of sand, I had them all taken up and put in lower 

 pond. Upon thoroughly overhauling the baskets of shells and finding 

 about 40 oysters to the basket, the shells were scattered in the chauuel 

 and pond west of cottage. 



Having observed a very heavy set of spat in parts of the outer creek, 

 at the suggestion of the Assistant Commissioner, a careful examination 

 of this, with Point Lookout and Smith's Creeks, was instituted. In the 

 former the set of spat was phenomenally large for about one-half mile 

 up both branches, while in the others the set was quite poor, though 

 oysters were plentiful. It would therefore appear that Saint Jerome 

 Creek had been advantageously affected by the large quantity of arti- 

 ficially-fertilized spawn distributed by the station. 



The Fish Hawk arrived here on 3d of November, left well-tower and 

 equipment, aud taking Coxswain Jones and Launch 55, proceeded to 

 Battery Station. The Herreshoff pump borrowed from the carp pond 

 in Washington was returned November 8. 



November 14 the Halcyon arrived with the Assistant Commissioner, 

 who, after inspecting the station, instructed that- it be closed and put 

 in charge of a watchman and the superintendent report to Battery Sta- 

 tion. All collectors with oysters attached were left in ponds 1, 2, and 

 3'; about 350 oysters obtained from collectors placed in outer creek 

 were put into three caissons and placed in pond 3. The station. was 

 turned over to the watchman, S. B. Wrightson, on 20th of November. 



Appended is a table of weather variations and density aud tempera- 

 ture, etc., of water at Saint Jerome Station. 



Havre de Grace, October 28, 1887. 



