Rearing Oysters from the Egg 115 



growing oysters from which such young might have been 

 derived, and perhaps was at that time also. 



All attempts to keep young oysters alive in tanks or 

 aquaria until the time of attachment, have proved to be 

 failures, though it is claimed in one case, that a few 

 spat became attached in a tank containing somewhat more 

 than two hundred cubic feet of water. 



Laboratory experiments have been made, in which 

 water was caused to flow steadily and rapidly through a 

 series of aquaria. Filters of sand and other substances 

 were provided to prevent the escape of the young oysters ; 

 but although the water was rapidly renewed, and the tem- 

 perature kept constant, they perished, many of them be- 

 coming entangled in the filter. 



Thus it seems probable, from observations already 

 made, that the chances are much against the future dis- 

 covery of facts that may make it practicable in America 

 to rear oysters from artificially fertilized eggs. It has 

 been shown that the young of our oyster will become at- 

 tached in large and deep ponds so constructed as to pre- 

 vent the deposition of mud on the collectors, but most of 

 those who have conducted the experiments admit that 

 they do not solve the commercial problem involved. 



The matter might appear in a different light if it had 

 been shown that the set in the reservoirs was much 

 greater than in open water. It would be interesting to 

 know, also, if a set could be obtained in a pond from 

 artificially fertilized eggs in one of those occasional 

 seasons in which it more or less completely fails on 

 outside oyster beds. But even if these were demon- 

 strated facts, they probably would be of little commercial 

 value. 



Usually the natural set is sufficient. If it fails in one 



