OYSTER-BEDS OF LOUISIANA. 81 



In shoal water, and especially when they are in clusters, the oysters 

 grow in poor shapes; and for this reason the planter, as soon as the 

 oysters are of sufficient size, usually at the end of the first year, breaks 

 up the clusters into single oysters, which are then planted in the 

 deeper water. They reach a marketable size — from 5 to 6 inches — in 

 from 2 to 2£ years from the time of planting the shells, and are very 

 fat and of remarkably fine flavor. It is estimated that about 100 bank 

 barrels, or 300 bushels, of oysters can be produced annually from each 

 acre of bottom; that is to say, the usual crop is 300 barrels every three 

 years. 



Cultch and seed oysters being greatly in demand, the culling is done 

 with extreme care, all shells and young oysters being carefully saved 

 and returned to the natural bed. 



It is rather surprising to find oysters of such fine quality in such 

 close proximity to the mouth of the Mississippi Eiver, where it might 

 be supposed that the water would be entirely too fresh for their welfare. 

 The density fluctuates with the direction of the winds, but is usually 

 conditioned by the stage of water in the river, being lowest during the 

 freshets of winter and spring and highest during the low water of the 

 summer months. March 4, 1898, when the river was at a moderate level 

 after a period of high water, the density on the oyster-beds was between 

 1.0109 and 1.0116, corrected to a temperature of 15° C, or 60° F. The 

 temperature was between 11.5° C. and 13° C, or 52.6° and 55.6° of the 

 Fahrenheit scale, a temperature lower by several degrees than was 

 found elsewhere upon the oyster-beds at that time, a condition probably 

 due to the influence of the cold water from the Mississippi Kiver. 



The principal enemies of the planted oyster in this vicinity are the 

 conch (Purpura), the drumfish, and the stone- cracker, a species of ray. 

 The conch is very troublesome at times and the drumfish causes damage 

 during the summer months, but is much less destructive than at Bayou 

 Cook. The stone-cracker appears here but occasionally, but its visits 

 are very disastrous in proportion to its numbers. It seems to be 

 unknown to the oystermen elsewhere. 



The oystermen at Balize have planted oysters in the small bay 

 immediately west of the mouth of Southeast Pass. This place was 

 not visited, but the conditions doubtless resemble those obtaining in 

 Whale Bay. 



Bayou CooJc and vicinity. — The most extensive planting-grounds in 

 Louisiana are the series of lakes, bays, and bayous lying between Bay 

 Jaque and Bastian Bay, a large part of the best oysters found in the 

 markets of New Orleans coming from this region. It is estimated that 

 there are upward of 500 men engaged in the several branches of the 

 business in this region. 



In Bay Pompadour, the farthest inland of the chain of lakes con- 

 nected with Bay Jaque, there are neither planted oysters nor natural 

 reefs, owing principally to the low saJinity of the water. There are a 

 few natural-bed oysters, but no planted ones in August Bayou, which 

 F. R. 98 6 



