OYSTER CULTURE IN FRANCE. 533 



June and i5th July. The fascines must be often changed, 

 for the sea quickly destroys them ; barnacles (cravants\ 

 also, which abound on this part of the coast, cover them in 

 spring and make them unfit for retaining the spat. These 

 parasites are not the only enemies to be encountered ; 

 mussels, which are a far deadlier foe, come in such 

 quantities upon the pares of Le Vivier that they form on 

 the ground a layer of from 15 to 35 centimetres thick. 



There is neither time to bury them, as is done at He 

 d'Oleron, nor to gather them, though they are edible. 

 The reason is that the pares of Le Vivier are situated very 

 low in the sea, and as they are only uncovered at low 

 tides, the interval between the ebb and flow is employed in 

 detaching the oysters, in picking up those which fall to the 

 ground, and in strengthening or putting the palisades into 

 good condition. In these few hours it is hardly possible to 

 get day labourers together to attend to the most pressing 

 wants. 



The oysters in the pares are estimated at five millions ; 

 the result is small, but we must not lose sight of the results 

 of the winter of 1870-71, and the discouragement which 

 naturally followed. It is also to be remembered that Le 

 Vivier-sur-Mer was ten years ago absolutely unknown as an 

 ostricultural station. 



As regards the growth of the oyster, it is really 

 marvellous at this station, and I have during the whole 

 course of my inquiry seen only one, Les Sables d'Olonne, 

 which can be compared to Le Vivier in this respect. I 

 have myself taken from a fascine an oyster of 14 or 15 

 months old, which did not measure less than 7^8 centi- 

 metres. 



It remains to say a few words about a happy trans- 

 formation brought about by M. de la Gervinais. The salt 



