KEPOET OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



19 



Until a few years ago practically no effort was made to increase the 

 supply of oysters or to insure continued productiveness of the grounds. 

 Then Virginia, realizing the needs of the fishery, instituted active cul- 

 tivation of the beds, and succeeded in substantially increasing the 

 suppl}'. Maryland, however, took no action. During the period of 

 such remarkable development in Long Island Sound, the Maryland 

 oyster product; fell 31.6 per cent in quantity and 39.2 per cent in 

 value; in 1901 it w^as 39 per cent less than in 1897 and 3,182,639 bushels 

 less than the product of Virginia, which it formerly exceeded. 



More than a third of the oysters produced in Virginia in 1901 were 

 from planted grounds. Of the 1,129,650 bushels constituting the 

 Maryland product only 161,565 were from planted grounds. With 

 the history of the neighboring portion of ('hesapeake waters, these 

 figures are forcibly suggestive of the enormous increase to be looked 

 for when the immense natural resources of Maryland are developed 

 and augmented by systematic cultivation. 



Yield of Oysters in the United States. 



states. 



Planted grounds. 



BusheLs^. 



Value. 



Natural grounds. 



Bushels. 



Value. 



Total. 



Bushels. 



Value. 



New England States (1902): 



Massachusetts 



Rhode Island 



Connecticiu 



Middle Atlantic States (1904): 



New York 



New Jersey 



Pennsylvania 



Delaware 



Maryland 



Virginia 



South Atlantic States (1902;: 



North Carolina 



South Carolina 



Geortria 



Florida, east coast 



Gulf States (1902): 



Florida, west coast 



Alabama ; 



Mississippi 



Louisiana 



Pacific coast' States (1904) :' 



Washington 



Oregon 



California 



7.=S, 586 



536,029 



2, 035, 878 



3, 199, 602 



1, 277, 022 



90, 000 



10, 400 



404, 565 



2, 998, 422 



Total. 



.53, 844 

 65, 925 



191, 208 



992 



188, 613 



S120, 252 



570, 390 



1,453,830 



3, 680, 830 



1,274,723 



90. 000 



9,064 



301,650 



1,708,456 



39, 475 

 16, 075 



402, 012 



1,488 

 628, 023 



27, 800 

 72, 000 

 45, 656 



121, 730 



858, 105 



28, 700 



231.175 



3, 965, 085 



4, 613, 8 J7 



1,022,813 

 689, 700 



1,22.,0U0 

 309, 069 



579, 587 



293,616 



2, 339, 207 



1,19,S,413 



343, 113 



S13, 430 

 17, 662 

 17, 752 



99, 522 



417,230 



14, 290 



84, 620 



2,116,024 



1, 751, 220 



268, 363 



118,460 



220, 467 



37, 188 



124, 108 

 80, 298 

 410,147 

 493, 227 

 100, 359 



103, 386 



608, 029 



2,081,534 



3, 329, 332 

 2,135,127 

 118, 700 

 241,575 

 4,429,650 

 7, 612, 289 



1,022,813 

 689, 700 



1,224,000 

 309, 069 



579, 587 



347, 460 



2, 405, 132 



1,198,413 



343,113 



191, 208 



992 



188, 613 



11,188,086 



10, 296, 268 17, 971, 636 



8133,682 



588, 052 



1, 471, 582 



3, 780, 352 

 1,691,953 

 104, 290 

 93, 684 

 2.417,674 

 3,459,676 



268, 363 



118,460 



220, 467 



37, 188 



124, 108 

 119,773 

 426, 222 

 493, 227 

 100, 359 



402, 012 



1,488 



628, 023 



6,384,367 1 29,159,722 16,680,635 



MISCELLANEOUS AFFAIRS. 



OPERATIONS OF VESSELS. 



The steamer Alhatros.s was sent to Alaska in the summer of 1905 to 

 assist in the establishment of the salmon hatchery near Yes Ba3\ Upon 

 her return the vessel underwent general repairs and overhauling, and 

 in May, 1906, sailed for a cruise of scientific exploration in the north- 

 ern Pacific Ocean and the Japanese Archipelago. These investigations 

 were in progress at the close of the fiscal j^ear. At the time of the 



