HISTORY OF THE OYSTER. 33 



CHAPTER VII. 



SUGGESTIONS FOE THE FORMATION OF NEW 

 OYSTER-BEDS AND THE PRESEKVATION OF 

 OLD ONES. 



THE conditions which appear to be necessary for the 

 establishment of new oyster-beds, or of feeding-beds, 

 according to my observations, are the following : 



That the bottom should be tolerably level and 

 hard, either composed of fine gravel or old shells on 

 the surface, the depth not more than 1 5 fathoms for 

 first-class oysters. 



That no dredging should be allowed during the 

 spawning season, or until the middle of August, 

 and then only to remove the sizeable oysters to feed- 

 ing-beds, and from thence to market about the 15th 

 of September. If there is a run of fresh water near 

 the bed, or over it, all the better. In making a 

 new bed, if possible, good cultch should be obtained 

 from a bed of repute in the first instance, to stock it : 

 this is preferable to old oysters, as they do not spawn 

 well after moving, and do not attach themselves. 



To renovate the old beds that are nearly exhausted, 

 rest would of course be the most certain method, if 



D 



