OXBTEB CrLTUEE OOilMISSION—APPENDIX. 
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HowcTcr, fls obTiously the question o£ stjawtiing will he of importance in connection with the future of the fishery, I 
humbly submit it would be desirable that arrangements be made to determine a question which must necessarily occupy Bcveral 
years. 
Oystcr^ground. —I may fairly say that every spot of tidal-ground, creeks, all Pullcrton Core, and probably the whole 
bottom of the river, is superior oyster ground, and the unalienated islets for trench-culture, and spots also suitable for fishery 
township sites. . • i. j 
Shell .—Limeburners adjoining cast entrance to ITullerton Cove, on late Dr. Mitcheirs land, is an extensive bed, 
app.arcntly a very prolific oyster-bed before the present geological change occurred—a layer seemingly over all Spit Island; 
also a streak along fore-shoro of A. A. Company’s land. 
Tlio verbal statement of Mr. Anderson, Managing Lessee;— 
(1.) That oysters spawn all the year round. 
(2.) Tliat September or October, '75, laid on skinned bed close to Mosquito Island 600 bags “ mangroves,” which are 
slowly improving and growing to shape of nature of bed; hut has paid uo attention to their spawning. 
(3.) Tliat river was closed lour years three mouths prior to leasing, which was against—not favourable to increase,* 
sliown in the bareness of beds on leasing. 
(4.) Tliat first few months of lease worked prel.ty hard with seven or eight men, getting first part three bags, down 
to two and one daily, when tho river was spelled for about six months; meanwhile had tw'o men employed to 
keep beds clean, as mud is couliuually settling, but of course more in iloods, whicli would bury oyeters if left 
alone; and only occasionally got a bag or two of oysters. Tlieu increased by degrees to six boats, and just before 
Chrisl.nia.s to nine ; now averaging four to five bags daily, for which they are paid 4s. a bag; 234 bags weekly. 
(5.) S^K'Hiug bcila is mainty ruled by state of market; wlieu Brisbane and other oystei's come in so as to glut the 
market wo try to avoid it by siiclling. We also possess an advantage by being in a position to ship ihrcct to 
:^^elbou^lle whenever w'c please. 
I have had a short conversation with three or four oUl experienced dredgers not engaged on fishery; their views pre¬ 
cisely .coincide with tlioso expressed in the statement of Port. Stephens di*edgers. 
I regret having no map, but have t.aken a rough sketch which can bo I’eadily transferred to the accurate nautical chart of 
the Huutcr. 1 have, Ac., 
A. B. BLACK. 
POET JACKSON AND ’^KIBUTAEIES. 
January, 1877. 
The Commission on Oyster Culture. 
Gentlemen, 
Ill obedience to instructions, I have the honor to append my report in respect to the oyster-bearing capabilities of 
Port Jackson and its tributaries, Parramatta and Laue Cove llivers and Middle Harbour. 
Keplics to question.**. 
1. Tiiese rivers formerly contained largo beds both of mud and drift oysters. 
2. Yes, by ovcr-dretlging, and by the debris washed into them by the heavy rains. 
3. There arc quantities of drift oysters on the rock.s, and iu two or three parts the mud oysters arc forming themselves 
into beds again. 
(rt) Tlio banks are for the most \m't compoged of saudstoue rock, and soft mud on the shores. 
(b) Tlie rocks arc jxvrtially and iu some places literally plastered with oysters of all growths, from spat to fine well- 
sized oy.^ters. 
(e) There are hed-s of mud, priucij^ally of a very soft deseriptiou. 
4. Yes, mangroves on soft mud on the upper portion of the Parramatta llivcr, covered at high tide. I am unable to 
disliuguiah private from public property, except those jmrts which arc built upon. 
5. The quality is very fine, ago from .spat to full-grown oysters. Bed confined principally to the rocks. 
6. There is abundance of sandstono rock on the shores. 
7. On Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers good markelable oysters can be found all the year round; spatting is not 
confined to any particular season. 
9 and 10. I do not tliink tliat these waters should be leased, but iiither reserved for public I’ocrcation and closed during 
the winter months. 
11. I think the si>at might be removed with advantage to tlic growth of more mature oysters. 
12. None of the natural oyster beds have been leased. 
Ill tUo Parniumlta River the most suitable locralitics I found to bo from the point of Five Dock Bay to the Pemvmt 
Hills Wharf; also the bay near the Lunatic Asylum, the rocks at the moutli of Hen and Chickens Bay, and the main channel 
off Morrison’s Bay. 
Originally the oysters extended from Darling Harbour to the Flats iu more or less quantities, but a few years back they 
became almost extinct fi*om over-dredging—I i.*cfer to the mud oysters. I have no doubt that the sewage matter together with 
the light soil continually washirig from the cultivated lands has tended in a great measure to destroy many of the beds 
which at one time gave abundant yield—in places w’hcrc old catchei*3 informed mo immense beds existed I found on dredg¬ 
ing nothing but a soft slushy mud. 
On the bed off the Asylum the mud oysters are spawning, every one the dredge had collected was covered with brood 
and spat. This class of oyster is very largo but of a coarse flavour, and will not keep more than (say) twenty-four hours after 
removal from the water. 
The rock oysters are in fine condition, they have been so for some months and show no sign of change—they grow very 
quickly on the sandstone skirting the river and on the wharfs. Oyster-bearing foreshores exist only in small narrow strips, all 
else is mud of a soft nature, and the rush of water from the lulls during wet weather would be very detrimental to artificial 
parks. 
Soft mud is the usual bed fomnilion of the river, and could not be utilized except at great expense. On the flats if 
the bottom were firmer, oysters could be fattened in gi-ent quantities. 
In Lane Cove the iwYs are covered with brood and ware—the formation is similar to that of tbo Parramatta River; it 
is only in narrow strips from Tamborino to Burns Bay, that oysters will lay. In this civer Mr. Josephson laid down an artifi¬ 
cial bed, and was very successful in his methotl of cuUivution. 
In Port Jaekson oysters of all sizes and descriptions abound, cspcvially on the northern side—in ^rirts tlic rocks arc 
really plastered with the mollusc. The beds arc closed under the Oyster Bed Act and liave boon for some Uirce years, and as 
the rocks are well within tlio view of the police tho oysters are protected, and are a true index of what these waters will 
produce, oven if left to the unaided efforts of nature. 
In Middle Harbour brood and ware am plentiful, so much so that eighteen or twenty bushels per mau per diem could 
readily bo collected. Tho oysters here do not gi-ow to any size, the -water being too strong. Like Port Hacking, it is admirably 
suited* for the prodvtction of brood and lyaro for layings iu places more favourable to growth and fattening. 
I am of opinion that it -would not bo desirable to lease tliese waters for o.-vster-tUhiug; they should be reserved for tho 
use of ploasuro-seekops, and tho brood and ware utilized by removal to more genial localities. 
Whatever may be learnt from other couutries as to the various methods of oyster-culture, little is practically known 
as to their adaptability to the oystem on this seaboard; and if it is the iiiteuiion of tho Commission to recommend tho 
artificial culture of oysters, it may be a prudent stop to establish somewhere in Port Jackson or its tributaries au experimental 
oyster farm, where the several methods adopted elsewhere, and others which may be suggested, could be tried. 
I have, Ac,, 
W. J. LANGHAM, 
Inspector of Oyster Beds. 
BOTANY 
* Just as likely to bo caused by poor crops the first year or two of closinjr, toccther witli the “ heavy rush” of dredgers on it while It was a 
few weeks opened just prior to leasing, in which time an enormouB quantity of oysters were got. 
