55 



impregnating the ova of the female and protecting the resultant embryos during those periods when 

 they are unable to protect themselves. 



To afford protection and maintain the fecundity of the bed in the last-mentioned manner has 

 been atteinped by Dr. W. K. Brooks, and his efforts have been in a measure successful. The ova 

 has been impregnated, and the life of the resultant embryos has been maintained for varying 

 periods, the maximum being six days. Whether this success will be of practical benefit remains a 

 matter of conjecture, but should it prove practicable to thus assist nature in maintaining the beds 

 at their greatest productiveness, it will require extended experiments before we can feel assured 

 that the protection afforded in this manner will be sufficient. To confirm the opinion as to the 

 deterioration of the beds, and to show the best method of protecting them in the two remaining 

 ways, has been the endeavor of the party under my command, and to that result have our efforts 

 been directed. 



In the absence of positive and correct information as to the life and habits of the oyster, all 

 legislation relating to their protection must be to a great extent inoperative and non-productive of 

 the desired results, and until such information has been obtained the best and easiest remedy for 

 the deterioration would be an extension of the known fishing ground ; in other words, the discov- 

 ery of new and well-stocked beds; as, the number of dredgers being, at least for a few years, 

 constant, they will naturally seek the most profitable held for labor, and leave the overworked 

 beds for the newly-discovered ones, thus giving the former a chance for recuperation. That this 

 is the case is evident by the record of statistics, most of the dredging vessels working on the new 

 beds outside the Sound and on those in the Potomac Eiver on account of the poor returns given 

 by the beds in Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds. 



The protection afforded in this manner would, however, be but temporary, the demand for 

 oysters constantly increasing, and the number of vessels working liable to increase with it; conse- 

 quently it may soon be necessary to legislate for the direct protection of the beds and to limit the 

 supply by law before it is stopped entirely by nature. It is well, therefore, for the best interests 

 of all classes, that such an amount of information should be collected, as to the character of the 

 beds and oysters and the general conditions under which they advantageously live, as would direct 

 protective laws into a channel productive of most good. 



The first necessary information to be obtained, and that of greatest moment, would be a knowl- 

 edge of the positions and areas of the beds. No law r could be passed which would protect a bed 

 whose position and boundary was not at least approximately known, nor could any study of separate 

 beds or comparisons of many be undertaken without such knowledge. Again, since nature has 

 already selected these areas as those most favorable to the growth and life of the oyster, they 

 evidently are the best grounds upon which to deposit the young brood, should the experiments of 

 Dr. Brooks prove successful and of practical importance. Indeed, it is hardly possible to enumerate 

 all the advantages of knowing the positions and areas of the natural beds, and it may safely be 

 said that a thorough study of the oyster question would be impossible without it. 



■ Of next importance is the knowledge when the bed is in the condition of greatest fecundity. 



In the attempt to attain this knowledge the number of oysters to the square yard of the sur- 

 face was ascertained during the season of 1878, as described by me in my previous report. The 

 results were of comparative value, and subsequent operations in each year were to show whether 

 the oysters on the bed were increasing or diminishing; or, in other words, the fecundity of the bed, 

 as compared with previous seasons, was to be ascertained. 



During the last season these numbers have been again calculated in a similar manner; but, 

 working with a greater knowledge of the subject generally, and a more correct estimate of the desired 

 results, I have devised another method for ascertaining whether the bed is in its most productive 

 condition. 



It is evident that in any large community there must be a certain ratio between the individ- 

 uals of different ages, and that any change in this ratio will indicate an increased or decreased 

 fecundity. It was not, and probably will not be for some time, possible to separate the oysters 

 into classes by ages, except in a very rude manner. The only indication of the age is the size of 



