of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



143 



considers that it is better where it is, as it will grow quicker in its present 

 situation, being only uncovered at ebb tides for a short time. 



(3) . Broadwater Bank. — This bank is now almost completely stocked 

 with mussels, and, with the exception of a high ridge along its centre 

 which is too long out of the water at low tides, it is in good condition 

 to permit of growth and fattening taking place. The small gaps here 

 and there which are bare of mussels are being filled up, and by the 

 end of May there will be a uniform covering of mussels over its 

 extensive area. The mussels on three-fourths of its surface will be 

 ready for using as bait by October next. The stones placed diagonally 

 across the stream slightly above the bank, as well as the large crop of 

 mussels, serve to maintain its extent. The currents, however, have 

 impinged against the upper end and carried away the clay along the 

 edge so that the bed does not shallow gradually to the bottom of the 

 stream, but ends abruptly. Since September 1893, fully one-half of 

 the stock that was On the bank was sold during that season, and the 

 remainder was ready for sale last winter. This bank sometimes takes 

 a considerable time to clean before mussels can be removed from the 

 higher banks to stock it. 



(4) . Sticks Burn Bank. — As in 1889 this bank is still very high. 

 The great depth of clay and mud on its surface makes it very soft 

 and it is difficult to scour. Such storms as were experienced in the 

 winters of 1893 and of 1894 from the north-east and north-north-west 

 respectively, might do much to lessen its height, but when the bed is 

 completely clothed with mussels, much more harm than good is done. 

 The north-easterly gale of 1893 did much damage to the crop, as some 

 parts of it were laid entirely bare, while at other places the mussels 

 were piled on the top of each other to the depth of several inches, and had 

 to be re-spread. Storms cause great loss, especially on banks of medium 

 height, and on the leeward side of them, but on such beds as Messrs 

 Johnston & Sons, the loss is much mitigated by the great number of 

 men who are employed without delay to save the mussels that are 

 buried. The mussels which are heaped up are soon spread out so that 

 the surface of the bed again presents a fairly uniform coating of mussels. 

 Still, many of the mussels are lost by being buried in the soft mud. 

 The same area is covered with mussels as in 1889, but the crop is not 

 quite so closely packed as it was two or three years ago. This is 

 one of the slowly-growing beds which requires seven or eight years' 

 growth to bring the mussels to the proper size and fatness j this long 

 time, however, is considerably shortened by the removal of the crop 

 to other and better beds. 



(5) . West Steinschell Bank. — The increase in breadth which was 

 noticed in the Report of 1889 still continues, and a strip, at least 10 

 yards broad, has been added to the bank on the east side. Unless 

 the East Steinschell Bank can be cut in two by the diversion of the 

 Steinschell Burn down a natural hollow in it, which has become more 

 pronounced within the past year, it is unlikely that the bank will go 

 on increasing in size to any appreciable extent. The bank on the 

 South side is still very high, and the whole of its vast area is covered 

 with mussels that have been sown on it within the last six years. The 

 gales of November 1893 and December 1894 did much damage to the 

 mussels on this bank, the crop on the shoreward, or west side of the 

 bank, being heaped up in patches, but re-spreading by means of rakes 

 saved a large proportion of the mussels. Before the mussels of this 



