380 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
duty upon them as marketable oysters, and obtaining permission of the government 
planted them upon a submerged platform at a point in the Baltic not far from the 
entrance of the Schleswig Biver. The experiments were unsuccessful. The oysters 
have now been in the Baltic a number of years, and are still living, but their condi- 
tion is of the poorest; they are thin, watery, shrunken, and have not grown since 
their introduction. 
The Feddersens, in spite of these discouraging results, are resolved to attempt 
the introduction of the American oyster on the coast of the North Sea. To this end 
they have finally succeeded in obtaining from the government a provisional conces- 
sion located near the mouth of the Elbe. This is the only concession that has yet 
been granted allowing foreign oysters to be planted, and is to be revoked if the 
imported oysters do not reproduce. The question of importing seed oysters free of 
duty, and the matter of concessions for their elevage is now, the writer has learned, 
in process of consideration. 
The following is an abstract of a lease of oyster-cultural property granted recently 
by the German administration. 
The locality is first described and the term of the holding (thirty-five years) stated. 
The lessees engage to carry on all negotiations openly and fairly, to be in every way 
responsible for losses caused by nature or war, to hold the property during the entire 
stated term, and to appoint and pay expenses of guardians. The administration 
places the control of the concession under the supervision of the professor of zoology 
at Kiel ; he may determine yearly the percentage of the spawning oysters, may regu- 
late the times of dredging and the character of the dredge; he may at all times have 
permission to make examinations and experiments, and for material thus used no com- 
pensation is to be given. The closed season is prescribed ; the time of fishing, of which 
notice should be given, is to be recorded by a foreman, whose books, kept under oath, 
are at all times accessible. A tabular yearly report is required. Damages by storm 
are to be reported. Fishing boats must be specially licensed. There can be formed 
no embankments for oyster parks which might be in the way of passing vessels. 
Oysters when dredged are to be brought to a stated place for the inspection of the 
government officials who must be sought for within three hours after the arrival of 
the cargo. The lessees are then to pay revenue fees for examination in addition to the 
regular duty on the dredged oysters. Three hundred tons of oysters (ton =700 to 800 
oysters) must (in this lease) be sent annually to market, and upon each ton 50 marks 
(about $12) must be paid as a governmental tax. Above this total production, if dredg- 
ing is allowed, the original tax per ton is increased by the amount of 10 marks during 
the first seventeen years and 20 during the concluding eighteen years of lease. In pay- 
ment four weeks’ grace is allowed ; thereafter a fine of 10 marks is imposed from the first 
week and 50 for the succeeding one. Taxes may be imposed as upon real property. 
Security must be deposited by lessees (in the present lease to the extent of 15,000 
marks) in government securities, whose coupons can not be separated during time of 
deposit. In case of loss or theft of securities no compensation may be obtained. 
Legal transfer of deposited securities can only be made by governmental consent. 
Heirs who inherit a concession are required to renew the securities. In case the 
lessees fail in their responsibilities, the lease with the government becomes broken 
and is revoked. Improvements to property may, at option of government, be taken at 
its own valuation; incumbrances are at expiration of term to be removed at the ex- 
pense of the lessees. 
