REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 13 



Louisiana. — At the request of the Louisiana Shell Fish Commission 

 the Bureau, during the spring of 1906, undertook some investigations 

 and experiments in oyster culture and related subjects in the waters 

 of Louisiana. Experimental plants of oj^sters and of cultch of vari- 

 ous forms were established in St. Bernard, Jefferson, and Terrebonne 

 parishes, in the hope of developing some improvements in the methods 

 heretofore employed and exhibiting the possibility of raising oj^sters 

 in territory at present not utilized. In connection with this work 

 there has been undertaken also a comprehensive stud}^ of Louisiana 

 waters with reference to their productiveness of 03^ster food. The 

 general failure of oysters in this region to fatten during the season of 

 1905-6 makes it important to study the cause of the phenomenon. 

 The investigations in Louisiana will be continued over a period of 

 several years. 



SPONGE EXPERIMENTS. 



A variet}^ of unforeseen misfortunes have overtaken the experimental 

 sponge farms of the Bureau during the past 3'ear, and the work has 

 been seriously interfered with. Enough progress has been made, 

 however, to encourage continued effort. 



The disasters to the suspended sponges at several places and the 

 comparative immunit}" of those on the bottom caused a return to the 

 earlier method of planting on cement disks and other bodies placed on 

 the bottom. Cuttings were fastened directly to the disks and to spin- 

 dles of various material attached to the disks, and experiments were 

 begun in growing sponges of special shapes to meet the market 

 demands. Several attempts were made to transport live sponges by 

 express, packed in boxes, and it was found that with proper care in 

 packing the}^ could be carried successfully on journeys not exceeding 

 three days in duration. With proper precautions and the use of ice 

 it is believed possible to carry live sponges from Florida to Calif ornia. 

 Further experiments will be made. 



Upon the removal of the custodian of the plantation of Sugar Loaf 

 Key, and the consequent loss of protection to the grounds, all of the 

 sponges of merchantable size were stolen, and it was found neces- 

 sary to abandon the locality for experimental purposes. 



A heavy mortality among the planted sponges near Anclote Kej^ was' 

 noted in last year's report and ascribed to low salinit}' of the water, a 

 hvpothesis supported by all the facts then apparent. Subsequent 

 developments, however, seem to point to an infectious disease as the 

 cause of the destruction, a thriving sponge plantation at Cape Florida 

 having shown a marked change in condition after the planting in its 

 vicinity of a consignment of unhealthy sponges from Anclote Ke3^ 

 The salinity of the water was normal at this time, and it appears very 

 probable that the mortality was due to an obscure infection imported 

 from the Gulf coast. 



