ARTIFICIAL OYSTER CULTIVATION. 1155 



England a saltern was used, in which salt had been made 

 the previous summer, but which had been cleaned out and 

 shingled. 



A little practice in oyster culture is better than much 

 theory, so a few oysters should be laid down and carefully 

 watched. If they gain in flesh or " fish," as it is called, the 

 place is suitable for fattening ; and so on as to experiments 

 in spatting, wintering, &c. 



Some flat ground near the shore having been selected, 

 the next condition is that it should be capable of holding- 

 water naturally or artificially. It already water-tight, as it 

 were, so much the better, but if not, a coating of clay or 

 blue mud must be laid down sufficiently thickly to prevent 

 the water from escaping, a few inches of sand must then be 

 placed on the clay or mud, and a layer of shingle, cockle- 

 shells, or old oyster-shells, for a "top dressing." 



The ground having been thus prepared, means of 

 ingress and egress for water must be provided by the erec- 

 tion of banks and sluices. A model oyster farm would 

 comprise about twelve or sixteen acres, half devoted to 

 breeding, and half to pits or ponds for wintering and for 

 the young brood and last year's spat. 



The shape of the wintering ponds should be oval, so 

 that the water may more easily run oft" than it would if 

 they were rectangular ; the number of ponds should be as 

 few as possible, in order to reduce the expenses of con- 

 structing sluices. 



Besides this farm, there should be growing or summer 

 beds, where they will have a fresh supply of water each 

 tide, an acre of these beds being provided for each half- 

 million oysters. They will then grow well and can be easily 

 cleaned. When it is necessary to clean these ponds, the 



water is allowed to run off during the ebb-tide until only a 



MM 2 





