. Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries. Fisheries; Fish culture. FRESH-WATER MUSSELS AND MUSSEL INDUSTRIES. 57 handles and working them together the forks are forced into the bottom and closed on the mussels. When it is closed, the handles are held together while the implement is raised hand over hand to the surface; after washing out the surplus mud and sand by a vertical motion the shells are dumped iilto the boat. FORK. Occasionally a common fork is used in the smaller streams, more especially during the low water of summer. The tool generally employed for this purpose is the coal or coke fo
. Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries. Fisheries; Fish culture. FRESH-WATER MUSSELS AND MUSSEL INDUSTRIES. 57 handles and working them together the forks are forced into the bottom and closed on the mussels. When it is closed, the handles are held together while the implement is raised hand over hand to the surface; after washing out the surplus mud and sand by a vertical motion the shells are dumped iilto the boat. FORK. Occasionally a common fork is used in the smaller streams, more especially during the low water of summer. The tool generally employed for this purpose is the coal or coke fork, such as is shown in figure 5. The manner of working with the fork is similar to that of spading a garden. The operator wades into the water from the shore or from his boat and begins to fork over the mussel bed systematically. On bringing each load to the surface of the river, the sand and mud are washed from the fork by dipping it a number of times into the water; the shells are thrown into the boat, which is always kept near by. Since it is much easier to go -with the current, the shellers usually work downstream, and in consequence have more or less muddy water to contend with. The method often yields good results, but involves more or less exposure to the water. It is not particularly to be commended, since the complete digging up of the beds is detrimental to the smaller mus- sels, as well as to the bed itself; the sand and mud of the bottom, to a certain extent at least, are carried away by the current to be depos- ited lower down in the river's course. Since the fork can be employed only in very shallow water and during warm weather, its use is consequently limited and irregular. It may be found in use during low stages on the St. Francis River, Ark., the Wabash River near "\^incennes, Ind., and in various isolated localities. DREDGE. e. Fig. s.—The fork used in taking fresh-water mussels in shallow water. The dip net is sometimes referred to as a dredge. Ther
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