﻿CXI 
  

  

  tainty 
  to 
  replenish 
  beds 
  wliicli 
  have 
  been 
  so 
  far 
  exhausted 
  

   as 
  to 
  have 
  h)st, 
  to 
  a 
  great 
  extent, 
  the 
  power 
  oi" 
  reproduc- 
  

   tion 
  in 
  themselves, 
  and 
  to 
  establish 
  new 
  beds 
  in 
  localities 
  

   where 
  the 
  oyster 
  does 
  not 
  now 
  exist. 
  

  

  I 
  trust 
  that 
  the 
  experiments 
  made 
  and 
  to 
  be 
  hereafter 
  

   conducted, 
  will 
  enable 
  us 
  to 
  determine 
  the 
  best 
  form 
  of 
  

   collector 
  to 
  be 
  used 
  in 
  our 
  waters 
  and 
  the 
  best 
  manner 
  

   in 
  which 
  it 
  should 
  be 
  treated 
  and 
  the 
  attached 
  young 
  

   oyster 
  cared 
  for. 
  

  

  The 
  importance 
  of 
  the 
  discoveries 
  as 
  to 
  the 
  means 
  of 
  

   artificial 
  propagation 
  of 
  the 
  oyster 
  can 
  be 
  appreciated 
  

   wlien 
  we 
  take 
  into 
  consideration 
  the 
  fact, 
  that 
  the 
  soils 
  

   and 
  localities 
  which 
  are 
  favorable 
  for 
  the 
  reproduction 
  

   of 
  oysters 
  are 
  not 
  always 
  favorable 
  for 
  their 
  sul»sequent 
  

   development, 
  as 
  there 
  are 
  many 
  places 
  where 
  oysters 
  

   thrive 
  but 
  where 
  they 
  will 
  not 
  breed, 
  it 
  being 
  generally 
  

   accepted 
  that 
  the 
  best 
  conditions 
  for 
  propagation 
  are 
  

   sandy 
  and 
  gravelly 
  bottoms 
  and 
  quite 
  salt 
  water, 
  whereas 
  

   muddy 
  bottf)n)s 
  and 
  a 
  mixture 
  of 
  fresh 
  water 
  are 
  most 
  

   favorable 
  for 
  fattening. 
  

  

  The 
  many 
  conditions 
  which 
  influence 
  the 
  breeding, 
  

   growth 
  and 
  development 
  of 
  the 
  oyster 
  — 
  that 
  is 
  the 
  soil, 
  

   temperature, 
  sudden 
  alternation 
  of 
  heat 
  and 
  cold, 
  direc- 
  

   tion 
  of 
  current, 
  the 
  occurrence 
  of 
  very 
  low 
  water 
  at 
  

   periods 
  of 
  extreme 
  heat 
  or 
  extreme 
  cold, 
  and 
  many 
  other 
  

   natural 
  conditions, 
  all 
  indicate 
  the 
  importance 
  of 
  estab- 
  

   lishing 
  now 
  the 
  artificial 
  propagation 
  of 
  the 
  oyster, 
  not- 
  

   withstanding 
  its 
  wonderful 
  reproductive 
  capabilities. 
  

  

  The 
  importance 
  of 
  the 
  oyster 
  of 
  the 
  Chesapeake 
  Bay 
  

   can 
  be 
  appreciated 
  by 
  a 
  perusal 
  of 
  the 
  following 
  figures, 
  

   which 
  I 
  have 
  obtained 
  through 
  the 
  courtesy 
  of 
  Professor 
  

   G. 
  Brown 
  Goode, 
  Su])erintendent 
  in 
  charge 
  of 
  the 
  fishery 
  

   statistics 
  of 
  the 
  census 
  of 
  1880 
  : 
  

  

  