THE OYSTER IN SEASON. 249 



attach themselves, and .so fruitful are the results, that one 

 of the fascines was found at the end of six months to have 

 no less than 20,000 young oysters on it. The report fur- 

 ther states that 12,000 hectares may be brought into full 

 bearing in three years, at an annual expense not exceeding 

 10,000 francs. A recent examination has fully and satis- 

 factorily proved the advantageous results obtained on the 

 five banks which have been laid down, and which have 

 exceeded the most sanguine expectations. Three fascines, 

 which were taken up indiscriminately from one of the 

 banks formed in June, 1859, contained about 20,000 

 oysters each, of from one inch to two inches in diameter. 

 The total expense for forming the above bank was 221 

 francs ; and if the 300 fascines laid down on it be multi- 

 plied by 20,000, 6,000,000 oysters will be obtained, which, 

 if sold at 20 francs a thousand, will produce 120,000 francs. 

 If, however, the number of oysters on each fascine were to 

 be reckoned at only 10,000, the sum of 60,000 francs would 

 be received, which, for an expenditure of only 221 francs, 

 would give a larger profit than any other known branch of 

 industry." (g) 



But the breeding and fattening of the London oyster 

 has long been a lucrative branch of trade, of which Cock- 

 aine may well be proud. It is carried on " contagious" to 

 London, as Mrs. Malaprop would say principally in Essex 

 and Kent. The rivers Crouch, Blackwater, and Colne, are 

 the chief breeding places in the former, and the channel 

 of the Swale and the Medway in the latter. These are 

 contiguous to Milton, hence Dibdin's song, and hence 

 also the corruption of " melting hoysters " ; melting they 

 are too. The corruption is classical, so let it stand. 



(g) " The Oyster," &c. 



