ARTIFICIAL OYSTER CULTURE. I 1 07 



propagate at all, or only after having been in the basin for 

 some months. Nor has the experiment to transplant an 

 oyster containing brood within its gills ever led to a 

 noticeable result ; and I think it hardly recommendable to 

 continue experiments in this direction. 



In case basin-culture in general should be tried again 

 (in England), the enclosures should afford all possible 

 means to renew the water. A constant aeration of the 

 water is not only to be kept up, but also an abundant 

 supply of food is to be acquired. Moreover, the bottom of 

 the basin must resemble, as much as possible, that of the 

 natural oyster-beds ; and this will not be an easy matter, 

 for an abundant supply of food will necessarily bring with 

 it plenty of mud, which within the enclosures will not be 

 carried away again with the current, as is the case on 

 natural oyster-grounds. Now it is evident that, whereas a 

 small quantity of mud is by no means disadvantageous to 

 an oyster, and even may be of great advantage where the 

 fattening of the oyster is aimed at, yet a too large quantity 

 of mud will even endanger its life. To prevent this by 

 arranging a fore-basin for the water to clarify before the 

 one in which the oysters are put, is of no use ; for in that 

 case the oyster will also lose a great amount of the 

 food-particles contained in the water and among the mud- 

 particles. 



Another danger arises from the renewing of the water 

 in the basin, viz., that it is not to be got without free cir- 

 culation, which enables the spat, when in the water, to 

 escape from the basin. I think it impossible to prevent 

 this by filtering apparatus placed before the sluices. The 

 only way would therefore be to control every day in sum- 

 mer the condition of the oysters, and to prevent any circu- 

 lation and renewing of the water in the basin during a short 



