THIRTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 145 
cause evidently his intention is to take oysters. The excuse 
cannot be made that he mistook the ground, for each area is 
marked plainly. When you see the dredge-line going, it is pretty 
good proof that oysters are being taken. Public opinionis now 
very strong against the stealing of oysters, and it certainly 
seems to me that a provision should be made, which would 
assist the oyster grower in bringing an offender to jus- 
tice: 
Dr. Hupson: I think that what Lieut. Winslow has said would 
be readily acknowledged by any who have looked into the mat- 
ter. The Connecticut commissioners are anxious for favorable 
legislative action on this matter; but, as I have stated, there is 
unfortunately this controversial feeling which has arisen between 
the natural growers and the cultivators, which has thus far been 
the means of preventing the enactment of such laws as Lieut. 
Winslow has referred to. I have no doubt, however, that per- 
haps in the immediate future suitable laws will be passed. 
Lieut. WiInsLow : I would like to say in addition that I do not 
know of any State that has made so great an advance in this 
matter as Connecticut. By examining the legislation on the 
subject for the last four or five years, it may easily be seen that 
itis of the most practical nature, and it is based on sound busi- 
ness principles. The people of Connecticut, proverbially shrewd, 
have certainly managed to get all the milk out of this particular 
cocoanut. 
Prof. Goope: I think that there can hardly be too much stress 
laid upon the importance of the work which Dr. Hudson and his 
colleagues are carrying on, the results of which have been de- 
scribed by him this morning. I have been looking into the history 
of the oyster industry of Europe lately, and am convinced that 
Connecticut is putting into practice the best system of oyster-cul- 
ture inthe world. The manner in which that State is dealing 
with the questions of fishery legislation, is certainly extremely 
interesting and worthy of commendation. The eyes of the world 
are upon Connecticut at the present time. I can appreciate this 
fact perhaps better than most of us here, having heard the eager 
questions and seen the intense interest of the fish-culturists and 
