THE NAUTILUS. 6S 



year, and it would be handled without any expense to the state. 

 The State Auditor should be given the power to make a contract along 

 the lines mentioned for their protection. The contracting party 

 could be required to send an invoice of each shipment monthly, to- 

 gether with check for royalty to the Auditor, thereby saving the 

 State any expense. The books to be always open for inspection, and 

 a bond given the State that will guarantee this contract to be carried 

 out to the letter. 



The Legislature in making a law giving the State this right should 

 embody in it all the things necessary to protect the mussels and 

 mussel beds, viz.: That 60 tons of button shells to one mile of mussel 

 bed is all that can be taken out in one year ; this to apply to beds of 

 less than a mile proportionately, one-quarter of mile, 15 tons; one- 

 half mile, 30 tons, etc. No dredges of any kind, or oyster tongs 

 should be allowed — nothing but the hook that catches the mussel as 

 an individual. And the hook should not be allowed to work on any 

 mussel beds when there is more than 20 feel of water on the nearest 

 government gauge. When there is more water than this, the current 

 is much stronger and drags the hooks over the beds so fast that they 

 often catch into the mussel itself, thereby killing it and losing the 

 shell entirely. I have seen boats working in high water that would 

 pull up as many as 25 of these mussel meats at one time. This is 

 ruinous to a mussel bed. 



The catchers like to work on high water because there is more 

 food in the water for the mussel at that time, and consequently more 

 mussels come to the surface to feed, and they can catch them faster. 

 There should be a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than $50.00 

 and 30 days in jail for each offense for any one violating any of 

 these laws. Each county should have legal jurisdiction to prosecute. 



First Step Toward Protection. — Iowa is the oldest state in experi- 

 ence with the mussel-shell button industry. The first factory was 

 started at Muscatine about 16 or 18 years ago. They got the shells 

 from the upper Mississippi river, and for several years I'ound suffi- 

 cient quantity there to run their plants. As the business increased, 

 it became necessary for them to hunt new fields. They have con- 

 tinued to do this until to-day the Mississippi river and all its tribu- 

 taries have been worked and worked without any idea of protecting 

 the mussel beds. 



The button industry has made trenu-ndous strides — 9 years ago 



