370 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
but the growth of the town and the conversion of the inlet into the 
present harbor of Olympia have been disastrous to the original oyster 
deposits. Those bays and inlets of the sound which receive rivers are 
better adapted for oyster cultivation than those with more salty waters. 
The inlets of the Olympia region are well supplied in this respect. 
There are extensive natural oyster deposits in the vicinity of Belling- 
ham Bay, Samish Bay, Port Discovery, Port Orford, Hood Canal, and 
many other places in Puget Sound, but many of them are remote from 
fresh water. Oyster Bay, near Olympia, is considered the most favor- 
able of the localities for oyster-cultivation. 
Puget Sound abounds in starfish, which are considered very destruc- 
tive to the native oysters. 
The close season from May 15 to September 1 is not enforced. 
Indians are the natural laborers in this field of industry, and the 
few whites engaged in it have expended very little money in any branch 
of oyster-cultivation. 
Surface temperatures taken by U. 8. Coast Survey steamer McArthur at Olympia, 1891. 
| Nov. 25...-- 46° (4a.m.) | 52° (4 p.m.) | Mecs Mrs = | 469 (4a.m.) | 44° (4 p.m.) 
Nov. 26...-.| 49° (4a.m.) | 50° (4 p.m.) || Dec. 2.-.-.-- | 40° (4a.m.) | 48° (4 p.m.) 
Nov. 27..--.| 48° (4.a.m.) | 50° (4 p.m.) || Dec. 3--...| 37° (4.a.m.) | 438° (4 p.m.) 
Nov. 28.....| 41° (4 a.m.) | 51° (4 p.m.) || Dec. 4-..--- | 329 (4a.m.) | 38° (4 p.m.) 
Nov. 29.....| 44° (4a.m.) | 48° (4 p.m.) || Dee. 5..... | 34° (4a.m.) | 36° (4p.m.) 
Noy. 30..---| 47° (4a.m.) | 51° (4 p.m.) k | 
EASTERN OYSTERS IN PUGET SOUND AND WILLAPA BAY. 
Governor E. P. Ferry, of Washington, informed me that he, in com- 
pany with Col. Laramie and Mr. William P. Wright, made an experi- 
ment in planting eastern oysters near Olympia many years ago. The 
history of the experiment is lost, but Governor Ferry’s recollection of 
it is that two sacks of oysters were put in Budd Inlet, about 2 miles 
from Olympia. They were perhaps not properly looked after, as they 
were soon lost sight of. It was observed, however, that they lived for 
several weeks. The history of eastern oysters in Willapa Bay is simi- 
lar; a few sacks only were laid out in the vicinity of Oysterville. They 
lived as well as those at San Francisco, but no signs of propagation 
were ever discovered. It was conceded by oystermen that there were 
hardly enough of them to insure fertilization. This experiment was 
made several years ago and has never been repeated. Many oyster- 
men of Willapa Bay are disposed to try bedding eastern oysters when 
they can get direct railway communication with the Atlantic coast. 4 
The following, relative to the sale of tide lands in Washington, is 
from the report of the State fish commissioner for 1890: 
TIDE LANDS OF WASHINGTON. 
The law passed by the recent legislature (known as the ‘‘tide-land bill”), giving 
the right to purchase tide land from the State, thus securing perfect title to their 
transplanted beds, will, in the opinion of nearly all the most prominent oystermen, 
cause a remarkable growth in the oyster industry, as prior tg the enactment 
