FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 29 



3. " The surface upon which spatting occurs must be kept as 

 free as possible from sediment and organic growths, in order 

 tliat the tiny young molluscs may not be smothered and killed 

 during the most critical period of their lives. 



4. "Artificial fertilization of the eggs of the oyster is feasible, 

 and will become an important adjunct to successful spat culture. 



5. "Water charged with embryo oysters may be passed 

 through a steam pump without injury to such embryos. 



6. "Oyster fry adheres to the under surface of shells or other 

 collectors most abundantly, because the lower side is cleanest 

 and most favorable to the survival of the animals. 



7. "The spat of the oyster will grow and thrive with com- 

 paratively little light. 



8. "The specific gravity of the water may range from 1.003 to 

 t.o235. 



9. "The most favorable temperatures of the water for spatting 

 seem to be from 68 degrees to about 78 or 80 degrees Fahr. 



10. "Spatting will occur just as freely in ponds or tanks as 

 in the open water. 



" These are well ascertained elementary facts, and upon them 

 we must base our new method, which is essentially a system of 

 spat culture, or method of rearing seed oysters for the purpose 

 of cultivation on the open beds or any suitable bottom. We 

 must, however, first of all throw aside as too expensive any and 

 all systems in which tiles or slates are used, especially if these 

 must be fastened together in nests and coated with lime and 

 cement, as practiced in Europe. Oysters are too cheap in 

 America to be produced by any of the old fogy systems which 

 are available there, as it will not pay to flake oflf the spat from 

 the collectors under ordinary circumstances in cultivating the 

 the American oyster for market, because of its low price." 



The experiments at Cold Spring Harbor have attracted some 

 attention from the oystermen about there, and some of them 

 have expressed themselves pleased with the results, and incline 

 to think that seed oysters could be raised in quantities by any 

 person who had an inclosed pond such as ours, where the water 

 came in at times of high tide, and that they would be reasonably 

 certain to get a fair " set " on proper cultch. 



