I 1 00 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



ticular attention, and the ostraculturist's most serious 

 reflection. 



Writing upon Oyster Culture in general, Mr. Fennell, 

 describing the causes of oyster reduction in Ireland, says : 

 At Arklow and Wexford, in Ireland, the beds have shown 

 an annual improvement from a low state after over-dredg- 

 ing, the change being consequent upon the adoption of a 

 close time, at the request of the fishermen themselves. 

 Still cases are not absent even in Ireland, where positive 

 injury had arisen from want of sufficient dredging, as in 

 the estuary of the Shannon, near Scattery Island, and at 

 Clew Bay, large accumulations of weeds and dirt having 

 arisen. It is lamentable to read that out of 100 grants or 

 licenses, comprising in the aggregate nearly 17,000 acres 

 of some of the most desirable oyster ground in Ireland, all 

 have, as a whole, fallen very short of realising the expecta- 

 tions of those who promoted legislation on the subject. 

 Hardly one of them has proved a commercial success, 

 whilst most of them must be regarded as total failures, so 

 far as the production of oysters the greatest object of all 

 'is concerned. In many cases the oysters laid down 

 have fattened, and the grants have thus proved advan- 

 tageous to the grantee ; but this is a small object in com- 

 parison with the main object increased production. The 

 Commissioners attribute these failures almost entirely to 

 not adopting adequate means to promote breeding, though 

 there may be other causes yet to be discovered. The 

 grantees, on the contrary, have satisfied themselves by 

 reaping the benefit of the oysters already on the ground, 

 and the fattening of those placed there. The Legislature 

 never contemplated such a monopoly of the shore or sea- 

 bottom for such a purpose : and where the undertaking 

 upon such really exclusive privileges is not fulfilled, it 



