I I 12 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



As if to illustrate and verify the above paragraph the 

 Marquis of Lome (u) asks : 



"Why should oysters often cost -f/- to 3/- a dozen in 

 London, and about 2^ or 3 francs for the best in Paris, 

 where the expensive hotels or boulevard restaurants only 

 can be found to charge a higher price ? Excellent 

 * Marennes ' with the green gills, valued among the 

 French, at least, if not here, more than any other kind, 

 can be had for the lower sum ; while at Arcachon, if not 

 at other seaside places, three dozen may be had for a 

 franc, or even less." 



Now let us for a moment glance at English prices ; 

 say those 'of Whitstable or Burnham. As I have already 

 stated with reference to the English market, a large trade 

 in " relaying " is done. The Whitstable Company relays 

 nine millions of French oysters each year. They are sent 

 by sea, and relaid at Hayling Island. In the trade these 

 oysters are discriminated from the real natives, but in some 

 London oyster shops no doubt they are palmed off as 

 natives, the average purchaser not being able to distinguish 

 between the two. The only way in which the dealer iden- 

 tifies them is that there is a mark on the heel of the oyster 

 showing where it has affixed itself to the oyster bed. It is 

 only just to add that the Whitstable Company does not 

 sell the relaid oysters as natives ; but it is beyond denial 

 that retail dealers do so, and the profit is considerable, the 

 price of "seconds" being 6/- per 100 and the retail price 

 being 2/- per dozen. 



With regard to the price of oysters a careful inquiry 

 seems to show that they are retailed in London at a sub- 

 stantial profit. The price at Burnham of " natives " is 1/6 



(u) Oyster Culture. Good Words, March, 1890. 



