1250 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



apparent cause. That it had not been over-fished was 

 evident from the fact that a large number of oysters still 

 existed upon it. No spat, however, had been seen on St. 

 George since 1874. 



On the other side of La Raie, the southern half of 

 Vivier-6-le Mont, which touches the southern part of the 

 former, and on which no fall of spat had taken place since 

 1862, showed a fair quantity in 1872, before the newly 

 imported oysters in La Raie had had time to spread them- 

 selves over it, and up to 1876 it was fairly productive. 

 On that part of Beauvais-6-le Mont which was productive 

 in 1876, more or less production has always taken place. 



No spat has ever been observed on the reserve ground, 

 and in 1876 it was tenanted by only a few old oysters. 

 Culch has always been abundant, and cleaning by trawling 

 has been permitted since 1867. 



It will be observed that under the same conditions, 

 and subject to restrictio is of a stringency which no one 

 has dreamed of in the public oyster beds of this country 

 a fertile area (La Raie, N.) has become barren, and a 

 barren area (La Raie, S.) has become fertile ; while the 

 others (Viviers and Beauvais), after undergoing great? im- 

 poverishment, are rather more productive at the end than 

 at the commencement of the period of fifteen years. And, 

 all this time, the oysters have perversely refused to settle 

 upon the'ground kindly reserved for their reception by the 

 administration. 



