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  MUSSEL 
  RESOUBCES 
  OF 
  THE 
  ILLINOIS 
  RIVER. 
  

  

  placed 
  at 
  the 
  stern 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  direct 
  Une 
  of 
  travel, 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  retarda- 
  

   tion 
  on 
  one 
  side 
  only, 
  and 
  the 
  boat 
  consequently 
  makes 
  a 
  large 
  circle 
  

   over 
  the 
  mussel 
  beds. 
  When 
  the 
  tool 
  is 
  raised 
  after 
  making 
  a 
  haul, 
  

   the 
  mud 
  and 
  small 
  shells 
  are 
  washed 
  out 
  by 
  dipping 
  the 
  net 
  a 
  number 
  

   of 
  times 
  into 
  the 
  river; 
  the 
  contents 
  are 
  then 
  dumped 
  into 
  the 
  bottom 
  

   of 
  the 
  boat, 
  to 
  be 
  sorted 
  out, 
  the 
  trash 
  and 
  dead 
  shells 
  being 
  thro\vn 
  

   overboard. 
  The 
  partner 
  usually 
  attends 
  to 
  this 
  matter 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  

  

  looking 
  after 
  the 
  engine. 
  By 
  this 
  method 
  of 
  mussel 
  fishing, 
  two 
  men 
  

   or 
  a 
  man 
  and 
  a 
  boy 
  can 
  easily 
  dig 
  in 
  a 
  good 
  locality 
  1,500 
  to 
  1,800 
  

   pounds 
  of 
  shells 
  in 
  half 
  a 
  day. 
  

  

  LEGISLATION. 
  

  

  The 
  legislature 
  of 
  Illinois 
  has 
  recently 
  enacted 
  a 
  law 
  looking 
  toward 
  

   the 
  protection 
  of 
  mussels 
  and 
  the 
  mussel 
  fishery 
  of 
  the 
  State. 
  A 
  

   closed 
  season 
  has 
  been 
  established 
  for 
  the 
  navigable 
  waters, 
  extending 
  

   from 
  October 
  1 
  to 
  April 
  1, 
  inclusive. 
  The 
  boats 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  equipped 
  

   with 
  not 
  more 
  than 
  two 
  bars, 
  whicli 
  sliall 
  not 
  exceed 
  16 
  feet 
  in 
  length, 
  

  

  