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oysters since about October 15th. These oysters were mostly the 
planted crops of 1881, 1882 and 1883. 
In estimating the value of this crop, I estimate what it would amount 
to when gathered, as it would be as difficult to determine the loss now 
as it would be the destruction of a crop of growing grain. 
At a low estimate, they have destroyed oysters which would have 
made a crop within the next three years of two hundred thousand (200,- 
000) bushels, and possibly twice that amount. 
We have had from six to ten steamers at work constantly catching 
star-fish from about November Ist, at an expense of at least five thou- 
sand ($5,000) dollars, and we are still catghing them. It appears that 
We are gaining on them, and we hope to keep them within their present 
limits ; but how long it will take to catch them, or how many more there 
are to come from the public bed we do not know. How much more 
damage they will do to the oysters we can not estimate. 
Oysters like the crop destroyed bring from fifty cents to one dollar 
per bushel, as we take them up when two, three and four years old, so 
that the loss exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) already. 
These star-fish are the hatch of 1882, and were first seen in July and 
August of that year, attached to the shells on the public bed. 
They were small, round, orange colored spots, having the outline of a 
star on them. They measure now from two to four inches across. 
The larger portion of the men who work on the public beds have 
thrown the star-fish back on to the bed again after catching them. 
Yours respectfully, 
EL, J. LEWIS: 
Two statements in Mr. Lewis’ letter deserve special notice: the one 
that the star-fish breed on the public beds, and the other that a large 
portion of the men who work on public beds throw the star-fish back 
upon the bed after catching them. The Commissioners have repeat- 
edly heard similar statements from other cultivators, whose business 
gives them frequent opportunities to observe the beds and those who 
work upon them. ! 
Mr. Henry C. Rowe, another of the largest, and one of the most 
successful cultivators, says : 
“We spent twelve hundred dollars working at stars. One steamer 
was at work steadily for about nine weeks, and another at intervals as 
she could be spared. The star-fish were very large, some over one foot 
across from tip to tip. They came on to two of our lots, which were 
two miles apart. They struck in about the first of September, but we 
cleaned them pretty nearly all out. If we had not done so, the crops on 
both pieces would have been destroyed.” 
The steamers of the Messrs. Hoyt Brothers, Lancraft Brothers, 
