224 FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [40] 



number of "mothers," or large oysters about to spawn. Usually 100 

 bushels of "mothers" to 4,000 bushels of shells are put down. Great 

 success has frequently followed the adoption of this system ; but many 

 failures have also occurred, the causes for which are obscure. 



The " bedding" or fattening of "Virginias," or Southern oysters, is the 

 most profitable part of the business in this State, and about 500,000 

 bushels are laid down anuually. They do not live through the winter, 

 nor can they stand the voyage north during the summer; consequently, 

 the laying down is done in the spring, and the oysters are sold during 

 the autumn. 



The laws governing the private oyster-beds permit the leasing, by 

 any inhabitant of the State, ground below tidewater mark, and outside 

 of harbor lines, for five to ten years, at an annual rent of $10 per acre; 

 prohibit fishing at night, and punish infringements of the rights of 

 leesees by fine and imprisonment. About 1,000 acres are at present un- 

 der cultivation under the above regulations. 



Connecticut. — Like Ehode Island this State has no natural oyster-beds 

 that are of important size or productiveness, when compared with her 

 artificial, private beds. Such as exist are larger and more numerous in 

 the western waters than in the eastern. Like the Rhode Island beds 

 they are fished principally for " seed" for the private areas. The sys- 

 tem of cultivation in this State is similar, in all essential points, to that 

 described in Rhode Island, but is much more extensively adopted, the 

 area under cultivation being enormous. More attention is given to 

 "planting" shells and other suitable cultch than in Ehode Island, and 

 the farms differ from those of the other State in lying, generally, in much 

 deeper water. The Rhode Island planters seldom work in water»of 

 more than three fathoms depth, while the Connecticut men are throw- 

 ing shells and oysters over in five and six, and even deeper water. 

 Another feature is the selection by the latter class of hard bottoms in 

 preference to any other. The use of steamers and the constant raking 

 and cleansing of the beds is another distinguishing characteristic of 

 Connecticut oyster growers. Large importations are made from Vir- 

 ginia and other waters, for fattening and bedding, and the business in 

 this particular is entirely similar in methods to that of Rhode Island? 

 and about the same quantity of oysters are imported. The native oys- 

 ter business, however, greatly exceeds the other, both in value and vol- 

 ume, and its large increase and success are due entirely to the system of 

 cultivation adopted and the laws protecting it. In this region, in 

 planting a new area, about 1,000 bushels of " spawners " (mother oysters) 

 are put down, to 7,000 or 8,000 bushels of shells. The spawners are 

 put over in May, about 40 bushels to an acre, and the shells or "cultch" 

 in July; young seed oysters are sometimes added. The expense is not 

 great, averaging about $40 per acre, and the yield per annum is usu- 

 ally double that amount. 



The laws governing oyster planting and farming permit the purchase, 

 at $1 per acre, of unlimited areas, by residents of the State, provided no 



