OYSTER CULTURE IN FRANCE. 485 



periment, he proceeded at once to double the size of his 

 pare, and by that means more than doubled his commerce, 

 for in 1 86 1 he was able to dispose of upwards of 2.0 worth 

 of his oysters, and that without impoverishing in the least 

 degree his breeding stock. He still continued to increase 

 the dimensions of his pare, so that by 1862 his sales had 

 increased to ^40. 



As might have been expected, Bceuf's neighbours had 

 been carefully watching his experiments, uttering occasional 

 sneers no doubt at his enthusiasm ; but, for all that, quite 

 ready to go and do likewise whenever the success of the 

 industrious mason's experiments became sufficiently devel- 

 oped to show that they were profitable. 



After Bo2uf had demonstrated the practicability of oyster 

 farming, the extension of the system all over the foreshores 

 of the island was rapid and effective, so much so that two 

 hundred beds were conceded previous to 1859, while an 

 additional five hundred beds were speedily laid down, and 

 in 1860 large quantities of brood were sold to the oyster 

 farmers of Marennes, for the purpose of being manufactured 

 into green oysters, in their claires on the banks of the 

 Seudre. 



The first sales, after cultivation had become general, 

 amounted to ,126. In the season of i86o-'6i, the oysters 

 sold brought the sum of 321, and next season the sum 

 reached in sales was upwards of ,500 ; and these moneys, 

 be it observed, were for very young oysters, because, from 

 an examination of the dates, it will at once be seen that the 

 brood had not had time to grow to any great size. So rapid 

 indeed has been the progress of oyster culture at the He de 

 Re" that its foreshores, which were formerly a series of enor- 

 mous and unproductive mud banks, are now covered with 

 pares and claires. There is only one drawback to these and 



