﻿ox 
  

  

  and 
  the 
  inflow 
  of 
  fresh 
  water 
  from 
  the 
  drainage 
  of 
  tlie 
  

   land 
  adjacent,, 
  by 
  providing 
  einbankments, 
  flood-gates, 
  

   and 
  waste-ways 
  ; 
  but 
  the 
  unexpected 
  diversion 
  of 
  a 
  large 
  

   portion 
  of 
  the 
  appropriation 
  prevented 
  my 
  carrying 
  into 
  

   effect 
  these 
  plans, 
  so 
  important 
  for 
  an 
  exhaustive 
  study 
  

   of 
  the 
  subject. 
  

  

  In 
  order 
  to 
  enable 
  Prof. 
  Ryder 
  to 
  carry 
  on 
  his 
  experi- 
  

   ments 
  in 
  a 
  thorough 
  and 
  systematic 
  manner, 
  it 
  was 
  

   essential 
  that 
  a 
  limited 
  body 
  of 
  water 
  should 
  be 
  isolated 
  

   from 
  the 
  creek 
  and 
  the 
  water 
  be 
  under 
  complete 
  control. 
  

   It 
  was 
  important, 
  also, 
  that 
  means 
  should 
  be 
  provided 
  

   that 
  the 
  enemies 
  of 
  the 
  young 
  oyster, 
  as 
  far 
  as 
  practica- 
  

   ble, 
  should 
  be 
  excluded. 
  

  

  Crude 
  and 
  imperfect 
  as 
  were 
  the 
  means 
  available, 
  Prof. 
  

   Ryder 
  pursued 
  the 
  line 
  of 
  investigations 
  with 
  important 
  

   results, 
  although 
  he 
  exx)erienced 
  the 
  same 
  difficulty 
  in 
  

   keeping 
  the 
  young 
  oyster 
  as 
  did 
  Dr. 
  Brooks. 
  

  

  He 
  was 
  enabled 
  during 
  his 
  stay 
  at 
  St. 
  Jerome's 
  to 
  de- 
  

   termine 
  with 
  some 
  accuracy 
  the 
  rate 
  of 
  growth 
  of 
  the 
  

   "spaf 
  and 
  to 
  make 
  very 
  important 
  researches 
  as 
  to 
  the 
  

   food 
  and 
  manner 
  of 
  fattening 
  the 
  oyster. 
  

  

  Prof. 
  Ryder's 
  report, 
  wdiich 
  is 
  full 
  of 
  interest, 
  will 
  be 
  

   found 
  in 
  the 
  appendix, 
  and 
  its 
  careful 
  perusal 
  is 
  earnest- 
  

   ly 
  recommended, 
  as 
  his 
  cautious 
  utterances 
  should 
  guide 
  

   us 
  to 
  the 
  future 
  solution 
  of 
  this 
  important 
  question. 
  

  

  As 
  soon 
  as 
  it 
  can 
  be 
  done 
  without 
  detriment 
  to 
  the 
  

   other 
  important 
  branches 
  of 
  fish 
  culture, 
  I 
  trust 
  that, 
  

   with 
  the 
  additional 
  light 
  which 
  has 
  been 
  shed 
  upon 
  this 
  

   subject, 
  I 
  shall 
  be 
  able 
  to 
  provide 
  Prof. 
  Ryder 
  with 
  

   proper 
  apparatus 
  for 
  the 
  prosecution 
  of 
  these 
  important 
  

   investigations, 
  for 
  I 
  am 
  quite 
  satisfied 
  that 
  as 
  soon 
  as 
  Ave 
  

   are 
  able 
  to 
  artificially 
  produce 
  the 
  oyster 
  and 
  protect 
  the 
  

   young 
  until 
  it 
  finally 
  attaches 
  itself 
  to 
  some 
  stationary 
  

   object, 
  we 
  will 
  have 
  certain 
  means 
  of 
  multiplying 
  this 
  

   bivalve 
  to 
  an 
  unlimited 
  extent 
  and 
  of 
  furnishing 
  it 
  for 
  

   planting 
  ^Durposes 
  at 
  less 
  cost 
  than 
  can 
  now 
  be 
  done 
  by 
  

   the 
  dredging 
  process. 
  We 
  will 
  also 
  be 
  able 
  with 
  cer- 
  

  

  