NATIONAL FISHERY CONGRESS. 311 



culture. I am satisfied that the oyster will live even when exposed to undiluted 

 artesian water, at half tide, but whether the propagation of the animalculae which 

 constitute the food of the oyster would be retarded, can only be decided after great 

 experience and by extended research, and I therefore suggest that this feature be 

 made the subject of experiments by experts of the U. S. Fish Commission. 



I have during the past year been taking observations relating to the salinity of 

 the water near the New Smyrna Inlet with a set of salinometers kindly loaned by the 

 United States Fish Commission. These observations, recorded daily with few omis- 

 sions, have been submitted to Washington, and from them we hope to ascertain the 

 necessity of utilizing fresh water in artificial ponds or trenches to reduce the salinity. 

 I have under construction at present an experimental area of about 1,000 square 

 yards where the salt water can lie diluted to any desired degree of density by the use 

 of surface water, elevated into a tank of 10,000 gallons' capacity and shut off by a 

 drain from the river. Personally, I believe this method to be the key to artificial 

 oyster- culture, utilizing the coon oyster, everywhere present, for the purpose of plant- 

 ing. Though comparatively a novice in this important branch of food production, 

 observation, experiment, and a diligent research into the practical experience of others 

 have impressed upon my mind most forcibly that the field for further investigation is 

 a wide one and prolific of good and profitable results to those who persistently and 

 diligently labor therein. 



PROPAGATION OF THE SOFT CLAM. 



No where in the South do we find the soft clam, as known to the residents of the 

 New England States. Among the Puritan fathers the clambake was an institution 

 that brought into social relations the members of a community, and the waters 

 bordering on the coast furnished the necessary products for these festive occasions. 

 Down through succeeding generations the clambake has been and is now a time- 

 honored institution, and is enjoyed by the residents of the coast and interior towns in 

 near proximity to the ocean. The soft clam as an edible is far superior to the hard 

 clam or quahog, and is also used for bait in the fishing industries of the section where 

 it abounds. It is more fixed locally than the round clam and is much more prolific. 

 On the southernmost shores of the Atlantic if at all present it is comparatively rare, 

 and then occurs possibly only by being transplanted from its northern habitat. Our 

 Florida lagoons and rivers, by reason of their shallow nature, abound in numbers of 

 sand flats, exposed more or less at the various conditions of the tide. These could be 

 profitably utilized for the culture of this desirable variety, which would prove a valu- 

 able acquisition to the locality, as well as a support to the inhabitants when once 

 satisfactorily introduced. A preliminary consideration would be the necessity of pro- 

 tecting them from the depredations of parties having nothing but the present in view. 



The soft clam has been introduced into the waters of the Pacific coast with the 

 oyster, and has proved prolific and a desirable accession to the resources of that 

 region. In referring to this branch of the shellfish industry it might be well to state 

 to those having in charge these important problems of introducing the different 

 varieties of fish, clams, etc., into new localities, that private enterprise is apt to labor 

 under an immense disadvantage, by reason of unnecessary delay and carelessness on 

 the part of the railroad companies during transit, and in many instances discourage- 

 ment and disappointment follow. AVere it not presuming unnecessarily, I would offer 

 to plant and care for, to a certain extent, any consignment of soft clams for experi- 



