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  report. 
  The 
  results 
  were 
  of 
  comparative 
  value, 
  and 
  subse- 
  

   quent 
  operations 
  in 
  each 
  year 
  were 
  to 
  show 
  whether 
  the 
  oys- 
  

   ters 
  on 
  the 
  bed 
  were 
  increasing 
  or 
  diminishing, 
  or 
  in 
  other 
  

   words, 
  the 
  fecundity 
  of 
  the 
  bed, 
  as 
  compared 
  with 
  previous 
  

   seasons, 
  was 
  to 
  be 
  ascertained. 
  

  

  During 
  the 
  last 
  season 
  these 
  proportions 
  have 
  been 
  again 
  

   calculated 
  in 
  a 
  similar 
  manner, 
  but 
  working 
  with 
  a 
  greater 
  

   knowledge 
  of 
  the 
  subject 
  generally, 
  and 
  a 
  more 
  correct 
  esti- 
  

   mate 
  of 
  the 
  desired 
  results, 
  I 
  have 
  devised 
  another 
  method 
  

   for 
  ascertaining 
  whether 
  the 
  bed 
  is 
  in 
  its 
  most 
  productive 
  con- 
  

   dition. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  evident 
  that 
  in 
  any 
  large 
  community, 
  when 
  at 
  its 
  

   greatest 
  fecundity, 
  there 
  must 
  be 
  certain 
  ratios 
  between 
  the 
  

   individuals 
  of 
  different 
  ages, 
  and 
  that 
  any 
  change 
  in 
  these 
  

   ratios 
  will 
  indicate 
  an 
  increased 
  or 
  decreased 
  fecundity. 
  

  

  It 
  was 
  not, 
  and 
  probably 
  will 
  not 
  be 
  for 
  some 
  time, 
  possi- 
  

   ble 
  to 
  separate 
  the 
  oysters 
  into 
  classes 
  by 
  ages, 
  except 
  in 
  a 
  

   very 
  rude 
  manner. 
  The 
  only 
  indication 
  of 
  the 
  age 
  is 
  the 
  size 
  

   of 
  the 
  animal, 
  and 
  the 
  oysters 
  were, 
  therefore, 
  separated 
  into 
  

   four 
  classes, 
  according 
  to 
  size, 
  in 
  the 
  following 
  manner 
  : 
  

  

  The 
  first 
  class 
  contained 
  all 
  those 
  over 
  three 
  inches 
  in 
  length, 
  

   and 
  embraced 
  all 
  full 
  grown, 
  mature 
  oysters. 
  

  

  The 
  second 
  class 
  contained 
  oysters 
  between 
  two 
  and 
  three 
  

   inches 
  in 
  length, 
  and 
  these 
  were 
  supposed 
  to 
  be 
  mature 
  apd 
  

   fit 
  for 
  market, 
  and 
  between 
  two 
  and 
  three 
  years 
  of 
  age. 
  

  

  The 
  third 
  class 
  contained 
  03'sters 
  between 
  three-quarters 
  of 
  

   an 
  inch 
  and 
  two 
  inches 
  long, 
  and 
  represented 
  the 
  young 
  growth 
  

   of 
  the 
  preceding 
  seasons, 
  being 
  thus 
  oysters 
  from 
  six 
  months 
  

   to 
  two 
  years 
  of 
  age. 
  

  

  The 
  fourth 
  class 
  contained 
  all 
  oysters 
  under 
  three-quarters 
  

   of 
  an 
  inch 
  in 
  length, 
  embracing 
  the 
  most 
  minute 
  that 
  could 
  

   be 
  recognized, 
  and 
  represented 
  the 
  young 
  growth 
  of 
  the 
  last 
  

   spawning 
  season, 
  or 
  those 
  of 
  less 
  than 
  a 
  year's 
  growth. 
  

  

  By 
  obtaining 
  a 
  sufficient 
  number 
  of 
  each 
  class 
  from 
  each 
  

   bed 
  it 
  was 
  intended 
  to 
  establish 
  ratios 
  between 
  each 
  class, 
  

   which 
  compared 
  with 
  ratios 
  on 
  new 
  and 
  comparatively 
  un- 
  

   worked 
  beds, 
  would 
  sliow 
  whether 
  the 
  particular 
  locality 
  

   under 
  examination 
  was 
  in 
  a 
  state 
  of 
  greatest 
  productiveness 
  

  

  