27 
In the year 1800 the number of oysters taken was 
44 
“ 
u 
1820 
U it 
44 
44 
44 
.... 6,000,000 
44 
“ 
44 
1825 
44 44 
44 
44 
44 
. . . .20,000,000 
44 
“ 
44 
1830 
• 4 44 
U 
44 
(4 
. . . .3^,000,000 
4i 
44 
44 
1835 
44 44 
44 
44 
44 
. . . .43,000,000 
44 
44 
1840 
44 44 
44 
44 
44 
44 
44 
44 
1845 
4 4 44 
44 
44 
44 
....67,000,000 
14 
44 
44 
1847 
44 44 
44 
44 
44 
....71,000,000 
44 
1850 
44 44 
44 
44 
....50,000,000 
44 
44 
44 
1855 
44 44 
44 
44 
....20,000,000 
44 
44 
44 
I860 
44 44 
44 
44 
(4 
.... 8,000,000 
44 
44 
44 
1865 
a 44 
44 
44 
44 
1,100,0(0 
44 
44 
44 
1868 
44 44 
44 
44 
.... 1,079,000 
.. 1 , 200,000 
Previous to the year 1800, and from this date to 1825, the- 
number taken each year was small, and did not average more 
than five or six million oysters, and the enormous numbers., 
which were taken from the beds in late years show that the - 
removal of this moderate number yearly had no tendency 
to destroy the beds. It seems quite evident from the figures • 
that the bed might have yielded twenty million oysters a year 
for an indefinite period, and the figures given for the years after 
1S25 are therefore highly instructive, for they show that a 
bed which is capable of furnishing a very great supply of' 
oysters may be completely exterminated within a compara- 
tively few years by unlimited dredging. 
The table also shows that it will not answer to rely upon 
the very great number of eggs, and therefore trust to a few- 
oysters the work of replenishing the bed. 
In view of such facts, no one who appreciates the magni- 
tude of the oyster industry of the Chesapeake can doubt that 
the protection of the natural oyster beds is a matter which 
is worthy of the most careful attention. While the manner- 
in which this is to be accomplished is outside the scope of the 
present paper, a statement of those favorable and unfavorable 
influences which have suggested themselves to me during my 
work, may fairly find a place here. 
It is well known to naturalists that the number of indi- 
viduals which reach maturity in any species, of animals or 
plants does not depend upon the number which are born. The- 
