OYSTER CULTURE IN GERMANY. 657 



animals which live upon the ground of the deeper portions 

 of the sea-flats remain surrounded by water whose tempera- 

 ture is 2 C. lower than the freezing point of fresh water. 



Our investigation, then, has led to the 

 grievous conclusion that profitable artificial oyster-breed- 

 ing, according to the French system, is not possible along 

 our North Sea coasts. Whoever should attempt to carry 

 out this system, despite the unfavourable conditions of our 

 waters and climate, would be certain to find that his breed- 

 ing oysters were more costly than many English oyster- 

 breeders have found theirs to be ; for upon the English 

 coasts the difference between ordinary high tide and the 

 tide increased by a storm is much less than upon our sea- 

 flats, the lowest water does not occur simultaneously with 

 the coldest winds, as along the south-east shore of the 

 North Sea, and the climate there is milder than upon our 

 coasts. 



CAN NATURAL OYSTER-BEDS BE ENLARGED, AND CAN 

 NEW BEDS BE LAID DOWN, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE 

 GERMAN COAST ? 



It will thus be seen that the German oyster industry 

 remains dependent now, as ever, upon the natural oyster- 

 banks of our coast-seas, where oysters have lived for 

 thousands of years, and where they exist to-day fruitful and 

 well flavoured. And in regard to these beds we have now 

 to consider the important questions : 



First. Is it possible to increase their size ? 



Second. ' Can we still farther increase the surface of 

 our oyster-territory by laying down new beds ? 



The water in the neighbourhood of the banks, and 

 over all the stretches between them, has the same 

 character as over the banks themselves. All that is 



