204 
elusions), the working season to be of 120 days, I have com- 
piled the following table, in which are given the number of 
oysters removed from each section and from the Sounds in one 
day and in the season. I have also given the same estimated 
in 1878 for comparison. 
TABLE showing the number of Oysters Removed. 
Section. 
In 
One Day. 
In 
One Season. 
1879. 
Number of 
Young Growth. 
1878. 
1879. 
1878. 
1879. 
Per 
Day. 
In the 
Season. 
No. 1 
567,450 
353,876 
68,094.000 
42,465,120 
146,100 
17,532,000 
“ 2 
378,450 
240,450 
45,414,000 
28,854,000 
89,200 
10,704,000 
“ 3 
459,000 
109,799 
55,080,000 
13,175880 
57,800 
6,936,000 
“ 4 
133,650 
42,101 
16,038,000 
5,052,120 
12,100 
1,452,000 
All Sections. . 
1,538,550 
746,226 
184,626,000 
89,547,120 
' 325,200 
1 
36,624,000 
1 
The estimated number of young removed from all sections 
in one day, in 1878, was about 1,240,000, or 148,800,000 in the 
course of the season. 
It will be seen by the table that about one hundred million 
more oysters were removed in 1878 than would be in 1879, 
and that about the same excess exists with regard to the young. 
Of the two estimates, that of 1879 is much more accurate, 
being based upon a larger number of observations, more care- 
fully and systematically taken, than was possible in 1878, but 
the disparity between the two is so great that the estimate of 
1878 would appear valueless, could not some cause be assigned 
for a decrease in the number of oysters taken from the beds. 
This decrease, as may be easily seen, must be due to one of 
the following causes or to both. 
1st. The fertility of the beds remaining the same, the 
dredgers may not be as numerous. 
2d. The number of dredgers remaining the same, the beds 
may be exhausted ; or, becoming so, consequently there would 
be a smaller number of oysters produced. 
