54 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



naissance. In most other parts of the district the hard bottom is dis- 

 tributed in small patches, lying like islands in the midst of soft mud, 

 but in False-mouth Bay the shells and seed could be deposited almost 

 anywhere without danger of becoming engulfed. The amount of oyster 

 food is larger than almost anywhere else in the district, the average 

 number of diatoms in each liter of water 1 foot above the bottom being 

 about 22,000. The extreme fatness of the oysters is also ample evidence 

 of the abundance of food, although, of course, the amount available 

 for each individual would become less if planting were extensively 

 undertaken. The chief drawback to planting lies in the low salinity, 

 which, as before stated, detracts from the flavor of the oyster, and if 

 not corrected during the spawning season would also militate against 

 the production of young. Without doubt, however, there is an increase 

 in the density during the late spring and summer, when fry abound. 

 Material to serve as cultch or collectors for the attachment of the young 

 oysters might be obtained from the island in the extreme southern part 

 of the bay, where the shore is covered by a mass of clam shells more 

 or less finely broken up. The smaller particles of shells are too small 

 l'or use, as the action of the storm waves in the shoal waters of the 

 bay would tend to carry them away; but many of the shells are entire, 

 and these, together with the larger fragments, should make excellent 

 cultch. 



Nine-mile Bay. — This body of water lies east of Pirate Point and 

 west and northwest of Raccoon Island. It is continuous with Three- 

 mile Bay to the eastward, and in its northwest corner it communicates 

 with Nine-mile Bayou by a channel in which the depth varies from 10 

 to 21 feet. 



North of Nine mile Bay and in communication with it lies South 

 Bayou, a lagoon like body of water, very shoal and with no oyster-beds. 

 The depth of water in the bay is between 4 and 5 feet, and the bottom 

 is composed principally of soft mud. The density on February 14 was 

 about 1.00G0, and the temperature at the same time was about 17° C. 

 (62.6° F.). The oysters are obtained principally in the eastern part, 

 between Raccoon Island and the opening to South Bayou, being gen- 

 erally single, much scattered, and of rather good shapes. These beds, 

 like those in Three-mile Bay, are much worked, and late in the season 

 are composed principally of cullings. There is a small bed of scat- 

 tered oysters just off the southeast point of Pirate Point, which appears 

 to have been established, or at least largely sustained, by artificial 

 means as a result of bedding oysters for "fattening" purposes, the 

 culled young growth and shells beiug carefully returned to the water to 

 serve as seed and cultch, the product of which becomes available for 

 market in subsequent seasons. This place is claimed by oystermen to 

 possess remarkable properties as a fattening- ground, but as the oysters 

 are brought from the denser waters to the eastward and exhibit their 

 improvement within 24 hours from the time of bedding it is probable 

 that the process is one of bloating rather than of fattening. 



