Serr. 18, 1884,] 
-FOREST AND STREAM. 
149 
__ oyster ground over and above the allowance originally made 
hy. nature. 4 
If the industry in the Chesapeake is to follow the same 
course aS in the Northern States, then the establishment of 
artificial beds and artificial extension of the oyster area with 
its consequent increase of the supply, will take place 
only upon the destruction of the present natural beds. In- 
deed, a prominent and intelligent oyster planter testified 
before the Virginia Legislature that he was half inclined to 
hope for just such a consummation, so little had he to expect 
from the present condition of things. But a careful study of 
the Northern fishery and the laws, statutory and natural, 
which govern it, will show quite plainly the steps necessary 
to be taken in order to accomplish the desired end. And if 
_ history and experience are to have any influence ip forming 
‘men’s opinions and guiding their actions, the measures indi- 
cated by the study should surely be adopted. So far as [ am 
able to see, the recuperation of an oyster industry is entirely 
independent upon the recognition and Seis of one great 
principle as the foundation of the work. The principle is the 
right of the State to cede and the individual to hold tracts of 
bottom under a tenure similar to that governing uplands. In 
other words, the practice of holding the oyster area open to 
any and all as common property, necessarily prevents in prac- 
tice the adoption of conservative measures, or a policy of 
goin iehcaely’ and systematic improvement. On the cther 
hand, no sooner is an individual and proprietary right 
affected, than that powertul lever—self interest—is brought 
into play, and progress becomes assured, 
Bvidently cultivation of the common property will never be 
undertaken by theindividual. Yet it must be undertaken by 
some one, It is impossible for the State to assume work, The 
Chesapeake oyster area equals some 400,000acres. If the cost 
of cultivation did nof exceed $10 per acre. and it is much 
nearer $30 than $10, the expense would be $4,000,000 every 
three years. lf the State of Connecticut undertook to culti- 
vate her artificial beds, it would cost her from one to three 
millions per annum. If Rhode Island entered the field it 
would he at an expense of from $100.000 to $300,000 per annum. 
Hyidently the expenditure of such a sum for the benefit of a 
portion of the population is out of the question, even was ifi 
necessary. Butitisnotnecessary. Oyster cultivation can be 
earried on by individuals just as well as the cultivation of 
potatoes or rearing of live stock. That this is not understood 
is the principal difficulty met by those who desire the advance- 
ment of the fishery, and the first condition 1 would make with 
a fisheulturist in discussi g this question, is that he should 
dismiss from his mind allimpressions he may have which are 
based npor the supposed analogy between oyster and fishcul- 
ture, ltis true that we can impregnate the eggs of an oyster 
in virtually the same way We impregnate the eggs of a fish. 
It is true we can keep the young oysters alive for some time in 
ractically the same manner if is accomplished with a fish. 
Bat there the similarity ends. 
Whoever may hatch the fish egy, the general public. only 
ean reap the benefit. Fish are mieratory. Fisheries cannot 
be preserved. But the oyster is not migratory. It is an ani- 
Tit domestic mstincts andstrong local attachments. Where 
itis placed it stays. Consequently its cultivation is emin- 
elitly a proper tield for the employment of individual exertion. 
J wou d not be understood to mean by the term “cultivation” 
in this relation, the artiticial injpregnation of the eggs. That 
has not yet been made of practical importance, I refer, prin- 
cipally, to the cultivation of oyster ground rather than oysters. 
To the improvement of areas ant beds rather than of stock, 
To increasing the facilities for natural expansion, rather than 
the exercise of natural function, 
It is quite possible to take a totally barren tract of bottom 
and seed 1b with matu e oysters, fertilize it with shells, and in 
a few years reap from it an abundant crop, But evidently no 
one will undertase this trouble or expense unless he is reason- 
ably certain of gathering the harvest. Equally evident is it 
that the State ¢ nnot sow the grou dforthefishermen. WNat- 
urally but one concinsion can be reached, The harvest must 
be made sure io the individual, and it can only be made sure 
by the possession of indefeasible proprietary rights. Hovwsoon 
the wee revives under such conditions is proved by’ the 
history of eyery Northen fishery, but [have nottime to quote 
them in detail. Rhode Island offers perhaps the most instruc- 
tive instance, In 1565 there was only some 60 or 70 acres of 
bottom under cultivation. ‘he product was only some 71,000 
bushels, Ihe price was $1.75 per gallon. 
In that year the law was passed which gave individual and 
proprietary rights to oyster ground, and an advance began 
which has never smice been checked. In 1883 11,000 acres 
_ were under cultivation Fi the product was in the n-ighborhood 
of 1,000,000 bushels, an 
than a dollar. 
The fishery in Connecticut will be, I understand, the subject 
of a subsequent paper by a member of the A-=sociation, and I 
will not therefore do more than touch wpon it. It will suffice 
for my purpose to state that since the operation of the law 
giving proprietary interest in detined tracts of bottom, an 
enormous area of what was entirely barren ground has been 
turned i to productive oyster beds, and the crop of native 
oysters increased from insignificance to millions of bushels. 
Indeed, so great has been the success and so encouraging the 
prospect, that the most piominent planter in the State has 
said that the Connecticut people could easily afford a subsidy 
of $50,000 per annum to keep in existence the present Chesa- 
peake policy. 
These facts appear so overwhelmingly conclusive that it is a 
matter of astonishment that the course indicated by them has 
not been immediately adepted. Yet, though it has been urged 
with ¢reat persistency for several years, adyocates and adher- 
ents have gathered but very slowly, The most important 
work to be done is, therefore, that of proselyting. But to 
accomplish this, methods differing from the usual ones must 
be adopted. 
Experience shows that the class which it is desirable to con- 
vert cannot be reached by mere arguments, no matter how 
sound the postulates upon which they are based may be. It 
is useless to apply reason to prejudice, Only actual, tangi- 
ble evidence can haye any effect; and such evidence can only 
be given by what is practically a system of “object lessons.” 
An excellent illustration of the value ofsuch examplesis given 
by the success of oyster culturein France. There the individual 
oyster culturist has been educated by the observation of the 
model government pares, until perceiving all the advantages 
which would accrue trom systematic and intelligent offort in 
this field, he has engaged in the pursuit with wonderful success 
and credit, Some such system, it seems to me, must be 
adopted in the Chesapeake region, if we wish to secure sensible 
legislation and actual advance prior to the destruction of the 
great natural beds, The people must be educated—must be 
made to see the folly of their ways and the wisdom of those of 
others. And, though I am utterly opposed to the entrance of 
the State into the oyster business, yet if the establishment of 
a few model oyster farms can teach the people of Maryland 
and Virginia how to husband aad increase the wealth nature 
has given them, ILshonld regard the money expended in such 
establishment well spent, 
But | have detained you far longer than I intended when I 
first thought of addressing you, aud must bring this paper to 
aclose. The range of my subject and the importance of the 
principle I have been most desirous of urging upon your con- 
sideration, have precluded discussion of many minor points of 
great interest to oyster culturists, and possibly to the general 
public, It hasalso neces~itated a more gene)al and superficial 
treatment of the question than I would desire. Butit 1 have 
succeeded in impressing the need for some more efficacious 
measures than have yet been adopted my etd has been accom- 
plished. Certainly something should be done. Glance at the 
_ census tables and you will find that, with the exception of Vir 
the price per gailon had fallen to less 
ee 
pinia. Maryland employs ten times as many persons, and pro- 
dices ten times as many oysters as any other State. The 
gross yalue of her product is two to four times as large, and 
her capital five times as great. She has at work two and three 
times as maby vessels, and produces nihe and ten times as 
many oysters, In every respect upon a superficial examina- 
tion, Marvland’s oyster trade appears head and shoulders 
above that of any other Jocalitiy, 
But when a comparison is made of the percentage of capi- 
tal returned as income, instead of Maryland heading the 
list, as would be supposed, she actually brings up at the bot- 
tom, her industry returning a smaller mcome than any other 
State in the Union. Thouch the area of the oyster ground is 
about 400,000 acres, the yield per acre is only 40 bushels, while 
at the North it is fully three times as much, Such a condition 
of affairs appears bad enough; but unless some such measures 
as I have suggested ave undertaken matters will soon be 
worse. If the people are left to themselves, they will, in their 
ignorance, give us only another instance of exhausted beds 
and destroyed industry. : 
Unless they can be convinced of the folly of their present 
course we will have but a repetition in the Chesapeake of the 
experience in Long Island Sound. , 
The natural oyster of marketable size will disappear and 
only a small “‘seed” oyster will be left. The goose will be 
killed; the golden eggs will be laid no more, And the vast 
fieet of puncies and canoes, and multitudes of men and women 
will have no employment beyond pickjpg out the pin feathers 
of the inanimate carcass. 
In the examination of one of the largest beds in Pocomoke 
Sound, J found that the shells represented 97 of the product; 
in other words, I had to get about fifty bushels of shells before 
T could get one bushel of oysters. 
Pror, Ryprr; I have listened to Dr. Hudson. Prof. Goode 
and Lieut. Winslow with a preat deal of interest, and it seems 
to me that all the data furnished in their papers point in the 
same direction, but I cannot but believe that artificial oyster 
culture still holds out to us some little hope of success. Ihave 
lately read a recent paper by M. Bouchon-Brandely, in which 
he makes the following remarkable statement: “It is to the 
French investivators that we are indebted for the first ad- 
vances and experiments in artificial oyster culture.” That in- 
eludes, I presume, the development of the methods of artificial 
oyster culture, or rather of artificial fertilization as applied to 
ovster culture. And I take this occasion berore the American 
Fiscultural Association to muke a reclamation in favor of 
American investigators, and especially Prot, Brooks. of Johns 
Hopkins University, in whose footsteps I and several others 
have trodden, and particularly in our work along the 
Chesapeake Bay. We have succeeded in confining the 
spawn of the American oyster in artificial ponds, so as 
to develop the fry to that point in their life-history at 
which they can be transferred from the fertilizing pans 
or dishes to parks, and there plared under such conditions as 
will enable them to grow into adult o sters. [donot mean to 
insist that the American methods of conning the oyster spat 
are of paramount importance, but I dv assert that we were the 
ivst to practically apply any methods, or to devis? suitable ap- 
paratus for such experiments, Inthe pamphlet to which I have 
referred, th re is described amachinein which the embryo are 
confined and in which the water is kept in continuous cireula- 
tion. That machine was devised and operated by Colonel Mc- 
Donald in 1882. I believe that Lieutenant Winslow, in associa- 
tion withProtessor Brooks.operated asinilar machineabout the 
same time. Both of these expe: iments were successful, [ think, 
in getting the fry attached within about twenty-four hours 
after artificial fertilization. So much forthe facts, Subsequent- 
ly, or abouta year later, I carried on some experiments at Stock- 
fon, Maryland, follo ving out on a Jarger scale the methads 
which he had devised in 183), in order to contine the urtificially 
fertilized eggs with the result of gettine spat from artificially 
fertilized eggs The method of connning the fry is simple, 
and merely involves the use of a diaphragm of sand through 
which the tide may ebb and flow automatically, and thus re- 
new the water im the inclosure. Itis evident that such a 
d apbrazm might be utilized to con‘ine the laryes which are 
th own olf from the beds, and which are confined to covers or 
areas with restricted months; in other words, that there are 
a great many places (as indicated on the maps in this hall, 
prepared by Lieut. Winslow) in which diaphragms might be 
constructed on avery simple plan, but upon a larger scale, and 
by means of which we could actually confine the spawn and 
prevent it from escaping from the areas, while we would pro- 
vide in those same waters clean “‘cultch” to which the spat 
could adhere, ; 
The history of the attachment of the spat has been worked 
out very carefully by Professor Huxley and myself, for both the 
American and Huropean species. The papers in which these 
tnatters have been discussed may befoundin the Mnglish Ilus- 
trated Magazine for 1885, and in the Bulletins and Reports of 
the United States Fish Commission for 1881 and 1882. So that 
[think that purely artificial methods, as applied to the culti- 
yation of oysters in this country, are not altogether without 
indications of suceess in the near future. 
Tazrur. Winstow: I did not mean tha‘ the artificial propa- 
gation of the oyster might not in the near future be brought 
to some practical issue. 1 only stated that it had not yet 
been. But while the process of raising oysters by artificially 
fecundating the eggs of the female, will not, probably, soon 
be made a matter of economic importance, the study of 
the embryonic life of the oyster will certainly be of 
great value to oyster culturists in the future. For in- 
stance, the usual method of the oyster farmer is to de- 
posit in the spring or late winter months a certain number 
of “spawners” or mature oysters. After those oysters have 
lain on the ground three or four months and the spawning 
season has approached, vast quantities of shells or other suit- 
able “‘cultch” are scattered in the vicinity for the young fry to 
fasten to. Now it is of the utmost importance that this 
“eulteh” should be elean, and consequently the later it is 
throvn overboard the better, as the deposit of sediment is 
thus avoided, But care must be used not to wait too long, 
else the time when the fry attach will be passed, Now, as 
évery oysterman Enows where an oyster is spawning, if, 
through the study of the embryological life of the animal, we 
could tell him just how much time elapses between the spawn- 
ing and the attachment, we would provide him with informa- 
tion of great practical value. For reasons such as I haye just 
recited, | think embryological work in this direction desirable, 
Possibly we may also make oyster raising through the artificial 
impregnation of eggs a matter of practical importance, but so 
far as my experience Boe. 1 am inclined to doubt any such 
consummation, desirable though it may be. 
Prof Ryper: The results of my own experiments and ob- 
servations in this matter are | think of some value. I have 
found by more recent study of spat which | obtained tm vast 
abundance at Buzzard’s Bay thatafter the fry-shell had grown 
to the dimeusious of 1-90 inch or about four times the size of 
the frry-shell when it tirst affixes itself, there was proof that 
the fry-shell had been attached to the surface of tixation for 
a considerable time before the spat-shell was formed, and that 
the fixation of the fry-shell was continuous with the fixation 
of the spat-shell, which may last until the diameter of the 
lower valve is nearly two inches. Itakeit that the fixation 
vecurs in from twenty-four to seventy-two hours. There is, 
however, this fact opposed to it. I havefound embryo oysters 
not larger than 1-260 inch still free; that is about fwice the 
size of the latves oysters ordinarily observed in our waters or 
obtained by aituicial fertilization, These large free oyster 
larves were obtained from the stomach of adult oysters. 
Pror. Goope: It seems to me that, from what we have to- | 
day heard from Dr. Hudson, Lieut, Winslow and Pi ofessor 
Ryder, we cannot fail to see what no doubt we have all par- 
tially realized before, namely, that there is a great cause for 
alarm as to the future of the oyster fisheries. ihave already 
stated that the natural oyster beds of Hurope have become al- 
most extinct, except as a source of seed for private cultivation, 
and it seems asif our own beds were becoming similarly de- 
stroyed. I think that Professor Ryder has notin the least 
overstated the importance of the artificial culture of the 
oyster, as developed by himself and others, One of the most 
striking events connected with the participation of the United. 
States in the fishery exhibition at London last summer, was 
the receipt of a telegram from Professor Baird, stating the re- 
sults of Professor Rydei’s work at Stockton, Maryland. The 
substance of the telegram was printed in one of the English 
papers, and inlessthan a week it had been reprinted in at 
least 5,000 papers, Letters began pouring in from Russia, 
Denmark, Holland and Scotland, asking for details, and the 
general enthusiasm oyer the matter was indeed astounding. 
Some of the recommendations which Lieut. Winslow has 
made with reference to the encouragement on the part of the 
Government by the establishment of model farms, are of 
preab-importance, as also are many of the other suggestions 
which he made. Jt seems desirable that the United States 
should carry out that system, as has been done at St. Jerome, 
Md, I think that a special obligation of this Association 
is to utter a word of warning to this country that unless 
something is done very soon, & portion, at least, of the oyster 
grounds in some of our States will be as worthless as some of 
those of the European countries have already become, And 
it appears to me that we ought to put forth some official 
utterance in the matter, which shall be uiiouet in legislative 
houses as the deliberate opinion of this body of men. which in- 
cludes all who have given any attention to the subject of fish- 
euture. I therefore move that a committee be appomted by 
the president of the Association to report before the close of 
the session some resolution which shall express the opinion 
of the society as to the necessity of protecting our oyster fish- 
eries by legislation, by artificial propagation, and by all other 
possible means. 
Mr. BuackrorpD: I second the motion, and believe this mat- 
ter to be one of the most important that could come before 
this meeting. [am of the opinion that such a resolution, go- 
ing out at this time from the Association, would have a great 
effect upon the action of the State legislatures, some of which 
are now considering the propriety of taking some measures 
ao the protection of the oyster industry—especially in New 
ork, 
THE PRESIDENT: It is moved and seconded that a com- 
mittee be appointed by the president, to repo:t as soon as pos- 
sible, as to what steps shall be taken by this Association to 
warn the different States in regard to the oyster depletion, L 
SE, for that committee, Messrs. Goode, Winslow and 
yder. 
THE OYSTER INDUSTRY OF THE WORLD. 
[A paper read before the American Fishcultural Association.] 
BY G. BROWN GOODE. 
HE oyster industry of the world is seated chiefly in the 
_ United States and France. Great Britain has still a few 
natural beds remaining, and a number of well-conducted es- 
tablishments for oyster culture. Canada, Holland, Italy, Ger- 
many, Belgium, Spain, Portuzal, Denmark, Norway and Rus- 
sia have also oyster industries, which are comparatively insig- 
nificant, and in the case of the Jast two countries, hardly 
worthy of consideration in a statistical statement Recent and 
accurate statistics, Mr. Goode said, were lacking exceptin two 
or three instances. A brief review by countries in the order 
of their importance was presented. The oyster industry of 
the United States was shown to employ 52,805 persons and to 
yield 22,195.570 bushels, worth $3!),438,852 and that of France 
iy 1881, employed 29,451 persons, producing oysters valued at 
$3,464,505. The industry of Great Britain yielded a product 
valued at from two to four million pounds sterling. olland 
was shown to have a considerable industry in the Province of 
Zeeland, and to have produced native and cultivated oy-ters 
to the value of $200,000, Germany has an industry on the 
Schleswig coast valued at about $400,000; while the products 
of other European countries mentioned were too insignificant 
to deserve a place in this brief abstract. An estimate of the 
total product of the world was presented as follows. the 
noures being given in the number of individual oysters pro- 
uced: 
Wanita sbitaites eye: oem cnacl dale tabled 5,550,000,000 
(GLa tha Ee ROA WO Sor Pee Fret aPe tS rey ed 22,000,000 
Total for North America..........5,572,000,000 
AS)rets ta (ot eer Wh Pee ees nce ch ee Ae A i 680,400,000 
\Esisteliral ag sit feW bt rupert as aera onseear toe 1,600,000, 000 
EVOL ARG ee ree rie terete a ee ere ate 21,800,000 
Nr Re Pay Fe pee ed See OBE SaaS WEA 20,000,000 
Geer iy ng Wares etiats beetle Pata Pane € 4,000,000 
Bled pate Ma a hoth epithe id dae eM plete petals 2,000, 000 
yaoi a Gas daca ese UDR ODAD DA Ure 3 1,000,000 
qefop so te fall EER ee Ge ir eee He eS 800,000 
DCMT Waste elon sy reine evo eee eed F 200,000 
TERUSSTB aoe perth anette cla rons [ tetera 250,000 
TIMOTHY = neeest siepe Uataibiavere otters sogitneteors 250,000 
Total for Huropé...............0.. 2,581,200,000 
The oyster industry is rapidly passing from the hands of the 
fishermen into those of oyster culturists. The oyster being 
sedentary, except for afew daysin the earliest stages of ifs 
existence, is easily exterminated in any given locality, since, 
although it may not be possible for the fishermen to rake up 
from the bottom every individual, wholesale methods of 
capture soon result in covering up or otherwise destroying the 
oyster banks ov reefs, as the communities of oysters are tech- 
nically termed. The main difference between the oyster in- 
dustry of America and that of Europe, lies in the fact that in 
Europe the native beds have long since been practically de- 
stroyed, perhaps not more than six or seven per cent. of the 
oysters of Hurope passing from the native beds directly mto 
the hands of the consumer. Itis probable that sixty to seventy- 
five per cent. are reared from the seed in artificial parks, the 
remainder having been laid down for a time to increase in 
size and flavor in the shoal waters along the coasts. 
In the United States, on the other hand, from 50 to 40 per 
cent. are carried from the native beds directly to market. 
The oyster fishery is everywhere carried on in the most reck- 
less manner, and in all directions oyster grounds are becoming 
deteriorated, and in some cases have been entirely destroyed, 
It remains to be seon whether the governments of the States 
will regulate the oyster fisheries before it is too late, or will 
permit the destruction of these vast reservoirs of food. At 
present the oyster is one of the cheapest articles of diet in the 
United States, while in England, as has been well said, an 
oyster is usually worth as much as, or more, than a new laid 
eps. It can hardly be expected that the price of American 
oysters will always remain so low; but, taking into considera- 
tion the great wealth of the natural beds along the entire 
Atlantic coast, ib seems certain that a moderate amount of 
rotectiou will keep the price of seed oysters far below the 
uropeal rates, aud that the immense stretches of submerged 
land, especially suited for oyster planting, may be utilized and 
made to produce an abundaot harvest, at a much less cost 
than that which accompanies the complicated system of cul- 
ture in France and Holland. 
THE BLADDERWORT., — Bergen-on-Zoom, Netherlands, 
Sept. 3. In the edition of FOREST AND STREAM of July #4 last 
T nnd an article about fish-eating plants. Inthe Fe ee ee 
of Plants” of Prot. Hugo de Vries, Amsterdam, ©. L, Brink- 
man, 1880, lfind, page 205, that Ulriculuria vulgaris “it a 
smal! water animalswims against one of the bladders it is 
. 
