153 
hours, 60,000 oysters. That part of the bed was immediately 
buoyed, and no more fishing allowed during the season. 
Having then seen what is considered necessary for the pro- 
tection of the beds by European nations, and why it is neces- 
sary, the question is how we can best use their experience. 
The best remedy for any evil is the removal of the cause, and 
the beds in Tangier and Poeomoke Sounds are suffering from 
over-dredging and the destruction of the young brood. Un- 
til the rate of production and the proportion between the 
number spawned and the number reaching maturity is de- 
cided, only a specified number should be taken off* of each 
bed in the Sounds. If observations, both as to the number 
removed and the increase or decrease of the proportion to the 
square yard were continued, a basis might be found for the es- 
tablishment of the maximum number to be removed. Until 
that number is established no working of the beds should be 
permitted between the middle of April and the first of No- 
vember, and none of the beds in Poeomoke Sound should be 
dredged over at all, except so much as it is necessary to clean 
them. There should be a sufficient number of oyster guard- 
boats to superintend the dredging, both in general and when 
for cleansing purposes ; to collect statistics as to the number 
of young and mature oysters removed, and to make all obser- 
vations as to the proportion to the square yard. They might 
also collect a good deal of useful information while on the 
beds. During September and October they should examine 
the beds, in order to ascertain the number of young, and 
those beds having a large proportion should be reserved from 
dredging operations until the young are able to resist the ac- 
tion of the dredge. No oysters below a certain size should be 
taken off the beds, and it should be punishable to have those 
under the specified size in possession. Whenever it is judged 
that any bed open to general fishing is being worked beyond 
its capacity, the oyster guard should have power to prevent 
any further dredging on it. When any bed with a large num- 
ber of young upon it is open, either the packers or fishermen 
should be compelled, as far as possible, to return the shells to 
the beds, or the hard bottoms surrounding them, within a cer- 
