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Part III. — Thirteenth Annual Report 



bank can attain to a bait size within three or four years, they must 

 be shifted to a bank like the Broadwater Bank or the bed of the 

 Steinschell Burn. 



(6) . East Steinschell Bank. — The formation of a bank on the east 

 side of the Steinschell Burn was begun as early as 1887, and within 

 the first two years it promised well. Since 1889, the mussels upon 

 it have grown, and the indications are that it will form a valuable 

 addition to the ground on the north side of Montrose Basin. One crop 

 was obtained from it in 1893, and it is again filled with mussels. 

 The mussels on it are encroaching on the neighbouring bank of sand 

 to the east, and there are indications of the probability of the Steinschell 

 Burn being diverted down the hollow in its middle. 



(7) . Scaud Man's Head Banks. — These banks have been bared since 

 1889, and the mussels, known as 'Crocks,' which were in large propor- 

 tion on it, were transferred to the quicker growing-ground of the Basin, 

 Steinschell, and Broadwater Banks. The great height of this large 

 area of ground prevents the mussels filling up and growing, so that it 

 is storage rather than growing-ground. In a properly conducted mussel- 

 farm, storage as well as growing-ground is necessary. It forms a 

 splendid area for the reception of the excess of native seed in such 

 districts as yield seed in quantity. At Montrose, however, it is seldom 

 the case that seed is in excess, the complaint being rather of its scarcity. 

 But storage-ground was found necessary for the large importations of 

 seed from the Tay. Part of the area covered in 1889 with mussels 

 is now bare, but the total acreage of the Scaud Man's Head has been 

 increased by utilising ground to the north and west which had never 

 carried a crop of mussels in the past. The old area, not now carrying 

 mussels, is to the south and east of the most easterly branch of the Scaud 

 Man's Head Burn. Instead, a new area to the west of this branch burn 

 has been sown with mussels, which now extend from Dronner's Dyke for 

 400 yards to the north, and the shoreward boundary runs nearly parallel 

 with Dronner's Dyke. This large area now under mussels is a considerable 

 factor towards maintaining an increase in the production of mussels from 

 Montrose Basin. The mussels are thinner than in the beginning of winter, 

 many having been destroyed during the prolonged period of frosty 

 weather. 



(8) . Tayock and Gas Work Banks. — The area under mussels along 

 these burns has been considerably augmented. The new portion added to 

 what was under mussels in 1889 consists of a strip alongside of the burns, 

 400 yards in length and averages in breadth 8 to 10 yards. The 

 mussels that were on it six years ago are still there. The frost destroyed 

 a large number of mussels on this bank. 



(9) . The Basin Bank. — This is the hardest ground in Montrose Basin. 

 The mussels on it show a fair amount of growth. There is still little mud 

 upon it, especially on the higher portion which is too long out of the 

 water to be good growing-ground. On the lower ground the mussels 

 were fit for sale in 1893, 1894, and 1895, but on the higher part the 

 mussels on it iu 1889 are still there. Two crops of mussels were obtained 

 from the part towards the south within that period. 



