SCIENCE 



NEW YORK, MARCH 20, 1891. 



DRAKE'S REPORT ON THE GEORGIA. OYSTER- 

 BEDS. 



The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey has recently 

 published a bulletin (No. 19) containing a report by Ensig-n 

 J. C. Drake, U.S.N., and assistant United States Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey, on "The Sounds and Estuaries of Georgia 

 with Reference to Oyster-Culture." The author states in 

 his preface that he had but five months for the examination, 

 and but a limited fund at his disposal, and makes no claim 

 for completeness of the work done under those circum- 

 stances; nevertheless the results of the examinations appear 

 to have satisfied all the requirements, and the people of 

 Georgia are in possession of the information necessary for 

 wise legislation on the oyster question ; and to obtain that 

 was the ])rincipal object of the examination. 



Mr. Drake reports that he examined all the ground in any 

 way suitable for oyster-growing, the area being some seventy 

 thousand acres. Of this, he finds some thirty thousand 

 acres as suitable for oyster-culture, and some forty thousand 

 acres unsuitable. His decisions in the premises are based 

 upon the character of the bottom and density of the water. 

 He alludes only casually to the number and character of 

 the predatory enemies of the oyster, which is to be regretted ; 

 nor does he give much information regarding the oysters 

 found, beyond the fact that they are not "fat," or fit for 

 market, until late in the year. The significant intelligence, 

 however, is that the beds are much depleted from over-fish- 

 ery. 



As the State possesses only some seventeen hundred acres 

 of natural beds, and as these are already much depleted, it is 

 not wonderful that the Legislature desired an investigation, 

 in the first place, and followed it up by passing a liberal law 

 encouraging the cultivation of additional areas; and it is 

 gratifying to learn that under this law some three thousand 

 acres (one-tenth the available area) are already in process of 

 improvement, for, indeed, our oyster-industry is in a sad way, 

 and we must look to the private cultivator for the future 

 supply. Any thing that States can do, investigation accom- 

 plish, or enterprise bring about, in this field, will be gladly 

 welcomed by a public which has seen the price of oysters 

 increase from twenty-five cents to fifty cents per bushel in 

 ten years, and the ratio of increase still continuing. 



Nearly twenty years ago the Coast Survey began its inves- 

 tigations of the oyster-beds of the country. Count Pourtales 

 was the pioneer. He was followed by Collins and Winslow 

 of the Navy, Bradford of the Survey, and again by Winslow. 

 The United States Fish Commission has added also to the 

 fund of information; and Professors Goode, Ryder, and 

 others have made many valuable reports on the condition of 

 the industry. The Johns Hopkins University has, in con- 

 nection with the State of Maryland, published the reports 

 and studies of Dr. W. K. Brooks, and no more valuable ad- 

 dition to our knowledge has been made than these reports. 

 The States of Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Mary- 

 land, and North Carolina have organized commissions and 



surveys, and have exhaustively studied the condition of the 

 beds, the fishery, and the general industry of their particular 

 waters. 



In the mass of literature that has come into being during 

 the last ten years, it would be naturally expected that some 

 differences should exist as to the condition of the beds and 

 as to the remedy to be applied; but in the main essentials no 

 differences do exist. All the various persons, officials, and 

 bodies, working at different times, in different localities, and 

 without connection, have uniformly reported that the natu- 

 ral oyster-beds were either extinct or fast becoming so, and 

 that the only remedy was to encourage cultivation by private 

 enterprise. 



With such unanimity of testimony and advice, it would 

 seem impossible that the remedy should not be applied. Un- 

 fortunately such has not been the case. It is true that a 

 few progressive States, such as Connecticut, New York, 

 North Carolina, and Georgia, have started on the right road ; 

 but the great oyster areas of the Chesapeake are likely to re- 

 main many years uncared for; and, while their beds are being 

 rapidly destroyed, no provision is made to meet the enormous 

 demand which the Chesapeake has heretofore supplied. It 

 is possible that the legislation in North Carolina, which has 

 been in operation several years, may have som^ effect by en- 

 couraging cultivation of the large tract of oyster bottom the 

 State possesses; but, unless such cultivation is now in prog- 

 ress to a very considerable extent, it will not be sufficient to 

 prevent such a falling-off of the supply as to amount to some- 

 thing like an oyster famine in a few years. 



It would not be surprising if oysters were soon out of the 

 reach of most people's pockets. If they do become so, we 

 will have the consolation of knowing that we had ample 

 warning, and the gentlemen who have conducted the investi- 

 gations and made the reports for these many years can have 

 the satisfaction of seeing their prophecies realized. The more 

 reports we have, the better; the more extensive the investi- 

 gation of the subject, the sooner will a remedy be adopted; 

 and the community has reason to thank the Coast Survey for 

 this last addition to our knowledge, and to congratulate Mr. 

 Drake on his very successful prosecution of a work of so. 

 much importance. 



HEALTH MATTERS. 



Inoculation by Mosquitoes against Yellow-Fever. 



Des. Ftnlat and Delgado of Havana have published some 

 statistics of their practice of inoculating persons newly arrired in 

 Cuba against yellow-fever by means of mosquitoes which have 

 been caused to contaminate themselves by stinging a yellow-fever 

 patient. These observations, according to the Lancet of Jan. 31, 

 have been carried on for the last ten years, and, in addition to a 

 certain number which are still incomplete, may be said to consist 

 of fifty-two cases of mosquito inoculation which have been fully 

 followed up. Of these, twelve experienced between the fourth 

 and the twenty -sixth day after inoculation amUd attack of yellow- 

 fever, with or without albuminuria; twelve experienced no symp- 

 toms of yellow-fever either within twenty-fire days after the in- 

 oculation or during tbree years subsequently; twenty-four experi- 

 enced no symptoms within twenty-five days, but contracted a 

 mild attack before the end of three years, either uncomplicated by 



