I 1 64. OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



third or fourth day. After the oyster has been left uncovered 

 for an hour or so every day for a week, it begins to know 

 when the ebb-tide commences to run, that the time for its 

 exposure is approaching, and it takes in an extra quantity 

 of sea-water to last it till the flood begins to make. If the 

 distance from high-water mark be gradually decreased, the 

 oyster gets accustomed to remaining out of the water 

 longer and longer every day, till at length it will imbibe 

 and retain sufficient salt water to enable it to keep alive 

 during a journey of a fortnight or more, if proper care be 

 taken during transit. To travel any distance. successfully, 

 oysters require careful packing. All dead and diseased 

 ones should be removed, and the healthy ones, after being 

 well cleaned from outer growth, should be placed in a tub 

 or barrel, with the round shell doimiwards, packed tightly, 

 and covered with a layer of fresh sea-weed. If practicable, 

 sea-water should be thrown over them once every twenty- 

 four hours. 



Supposing that a fair stock of parent oysters has been 

 secured on the breeding beds, and laid down at the proper 

 time with the precautions we have recommended, the next 

 thing that will occupy the attention of the breeder is how 

 to secure the greatest number of young during the ensuing 

 summer. 



The absolute necessity of providing the young spat 

 with some clean substance to adhere to soon after it leaves 

 the parent shell, has given rise to the custom, from time 

 immemorial, of placing collectors in the water near the 

 parent shells. The shapes, sizes, positions, and arrange- 

 ments of these collectors have been count] ess, as are the 

 materials of which they have been made. Stones, tiles, 

 wood, faggots, shells, furze bushes, hurdles, hampers, slates, 



