CHAPTER XVII. 



OYSTER CULTURE IN ENGLAND. 



SUCCESS OF THE OYSTER-FARMS ON THE COAST OF FRANCE 

 RAPACITY OF DREDGERS MR. FFENNEL'S REPORT HAYLING 

 ISLAND ANNUAL CONSUMPTION OF OYSTERS IN LONDON 

 PROPOSED OYSTER VESSELS M. DELIDON ON "SPAT" CHEAP 

 OYSTERS. 



(From the " Times" October \$th, iS6-jJ. 



In the Times of September 6, 1866, was a notice of 

 what had recently been doing on the south coast of Eng- 

 land and the north coast of France, but more particularly 

 referring to attempts just commenced on the former, in the 

 establishment of Oyster Farms for the breeding, growth, 

 and fattening of oysters for the market. 



The oyster farms on the coast of France continue 

 their work successfully and supply a vast number of oysters 

 to the Paris and other markets ; but their success is under- 

 stood to have been more marked in the growth and fatten- 

 ing of purchased oysters laid down in their pares than in 

 the raising of spat from old fish. The same may be said 

 of most of the oyster farms on the English coast, although 

 there are exceptions here to which we shall presently refer. 



In the establishment of any oyster farm, where the 

 operations are mainly intended for the breeding of oysters 



