84 



80. Is there any marked difference in the time of appearance of the young in different years ! 



81. Are the young especially liable to be destroyed ? 



82. If so, by what 1 



83. Can this destruction, if any, be prevented; and, if so, by what means ? 



84. What is the average growth of an oyster during the first year? 



85. Have you ever known any disease to attack the oyster whereby great numbers were 

 destroyed or rendered unfit for use ? 



86. If so, is such disease common, and at what times does it attack the oysters? What is the 

 common local name of the disease? 



87. What are the supposed causes of such disease? 



88. Are about the same number of young found each year upon each bed? 



89. Do some beds produce young some years and not others; and during these resting years 

 do other beds produce young, and then rest in their turn? 



90. Do all the beds rest periodically and at the same time? 



91. Do currents or unusual conditions of the water appear to have any effect upon the time of 

 spawning? 



THE "WORKING AND CULTIVATION OP THE OYSTER. 



92. In your neighborhood how are the oysters taken from the beds — with dredges or tongs? 



93. Does it improve or injure a bed to work it over with tongs or dredge? 



94. Which of these two implements should be used for the best interests of the beds? 



95. Are any beds improved by the use of one aud not of the other; if so, of which? 



96. Does the depth of water make any difference? 



97. What kind of boats do you use in oystering? 



98. After the oysters have been taken from the bed are they immediately culled, or do you 

 wait until the fishing is over; and are they culled on their beds? 



99. Are the small oysters thrown back or not? 



100. What is the size of the smallest which are kept? 



101. For the best interests of the beds, what proportion of oysters should be taken off each 

 year? 



102. So far as you know, or can judge, what proportions are taken from the different beds in 

 your locality? 



103. Is there a limit to the thickness of the layer of bving oysters upon a bed ; if so, what is 

 such limit? 



104. About what is the average thickness ? 



105. Should a bed be allowed to rest for certain definite pei'iods ? 



106. If so, how long? 



107. Will oysters fatten best upon the same beds upon which they are produced? 



108. If not, what is the character of the bottom upon which they will fatten best? 



109. Are oysters planted to any great extent in your vicinity? 



110. What kind of oysters are best to use as plants, or does it make any difference which are 

 used ? 



111. At what time are they taken up to plant? 



112. At what age? 



113. How are they taken — with dredge or tongs — and which is preferred ? 



114. Are they injured at all by rough handling, either for market or for planting? 



115. What kind of places are most suitable for planting beds ? 



116. Do oysters breed on planted beds? 



117. If so, do the young oysters thrive as well as on the natural beds? 



118. If not, why? 



119. Are oysters taken from your locality to other places to plant? 



120. If so, where? 



121. About how small are the oysters in your neighborhood when they first spawn? 



122. Is there any difference in this respect, or in the time of year when they spawn, between 

 those on the natural and those on the planted beds ? 



