ES: 
They are generally in command of reckless and irresponsible per- 
sons, and the oyster growers are under continual apprehension of in- 
jury from accidental or intentional deposits of material on their 
crops. It is claimed by those best informed that day and night these 
transports are run out of the harbor, and there can be no assured 
protection against them, unless every load is accompanied by some 
trustworthy person especially deputed to see that the material is not 
thrown upon the beds, but is properly deposited on the grounds des- 
ignated for the purpose by the Commissioners. The great value of 
the property to be thus protected seems, in the opinion of the Oyster 
Growers’ Association, as well as that of the Commissioners, to war- 
rant the moderate expense of such an inspector. 
It is supposed by many that the lots heretofore designated com- 
prise all the best grounds in the Sound. But the Commissioners 
do not believe this is so. It is true the grounds taken are more con- 
venient of access from the shore, and most of them have the advan- 
tage of being in the neighborhood of natural beds, from which a 
supply of spat may be generally assured; but contiguous to these 
grounds, farther out in the Sound, there are tracts equally valuable 
for cultivation, which will be in demand as soon as the beds near the 
shore are covered with crops. Every acre that is covered by growing 
oysters enhances the value of the adjacent grounds. It is predicted 
that when the grounds already designated are placed under cultiva- 
tion, the spat will be so abundant that no bed will fail of a full set, 
whether in deep or shallow water; and all that will be required then 
to start a bed will be to lay down the shells and wait. The predic- 
tion is not without reason and probability. 
Along the eastern part of the State, between the Connecticut and 
Pawcatuck rivers, no designations have been made. This is owing, 
not to any objectionable peculiarities of the grounds, but rather to 
the fact that the oyster growers are not sufficiently acquainted with 
them to make selections. 
The soft, muddy tracts, also, which aggregate a large number of 
acres now neglected, it is believed, will, at no far distant day, become 
valuable for cultivation. 
The efforts made to grow oysters on muddy bottoms in the Po- 
quonnock river, near Groton, to which reference was made in the 
last year’s report, have been uniformly successful, as many as a 
thousand bushels of superior oysters having been obtained from one 
acre. No particular skill is required in carrying on similar experi- 
ments, and it is probable that the method will be generally followed 
throughout the State, where similar bottoms are found. 
