236 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Table 22. — Number of spat per bushel of scallop shells taken between 0.5 and 2 feet above low-water mark 
at Shell Point Bar, Onset, 1927 
Sample number 
Spat per 
bushel 
Sample number 
Spat per 
bushel 
Sample number 
Spat per 
bushel 
Sample number 
Spat per 
bushel 
1. 
6, 800 
7,700 
6,100 
4 
7, 500 
7,200 
6, 600 
7_ 
6, 400 
7,200 
7, 800 
10 
6,600 
2 
5 
8 
3 
6 
9 
6, 990 
The results of setting experiments on Middle and Stony Bars are shown in Table 
23. From each bar 10 bags were taken at random from an area just above low water 
and the number of spat was counted. The results show that setting in the bags was 
heavier than on loose shells, although the difference was not great. Several bags 
filled with oyster shells and lowered to 5 or 6 feet below low-water level at the side 
of the main channel in Onset Bay caught a set averaging 8,000 to a bushel. These 
observations show that although the zone of heaviest setting occurs above low-water 
mark on the exposed bars, certain areas under water can be successfully utilized by 
planting bags filled with oyster shells. 
Table 23. — Setting on Middle and Stony Bars, Onset Bay, 1927 
Location 
Number of spat per bushel 
(bags) 
Number of spat per bushel 
(loose shell) 
Average 
Maxi- 
mum 
Mini- 
mum 
Average 
Maxi- 
mum 
Mini- 
mum 
11, 200 
8,400 
19, 300 
11, 800 
5, 600 
5, 200 
7,700 
6, 300 
9,700 
10, 500 
6, 100 
3,700 
Experiments carried out in 1928 were the repetition of those made in the sum- 
mer of 1927 and were undertaken with the purpose of checking up the results obtained 
in the previous year. Over 100 wire bags filled with oyster or scallop shells were 
planted on Shell Point and at Sherman Bar (fig. 15, A, D)\ over 700 bags were planted 
also on Shell Point by Schroeder & Besse Co. All the bags were examined by McMillin 
in August and the setting on them was recorded. At Shell Point 21 bags were placed 
in 3 lines (fig. 15) extending from the middle of the area devoted to commercial seed 
production (about 1.5 feet above low water) to 3 feet below low water. The bags on 
line 1 which ran lengthwise of the bar and off the end of the point in a southeasterly 
direction were placed about 12 feet apart. Along lines 2 and 3 which ran at right 
angles to the eastern side of the bar the bags were about 4 feet apart below low water 
and 6 feet apart above low water. Bags on lines 1 and 3 contained oyster shells; 
those of line 2 were filled with scallop shells. One line (No. 4) comprising 8 bags 
filled with oyster shells was placed on Sherman Bar, Onset Island. In August, when 
the set was large enough to be easily seen with the naked eye, the bags were taken up 
and the number of young oysters was counted. In 3 bags the spat on every shell was 
counted but it was found that 1 peck of well-mixed shells gives a representative sample, 
and that by this way the number of seed per bushel could be calculated with an error 
of less than 5 per cent. The results of the experiments are presented in Table 24 and 
Figure 23. The maximum setting at Shell Point occurred about 1 foot above low- 
water mark where the number of spat per bushel varied from 41,800 to 68,700 spat 
per bushel. Setting below low-water mark was less heavy, varying from 2,000 to 
