562 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



ILE D'OLERON. 



At Ole"ron, which may be considered as a dependency 

 of Marennes, the rearing, fattening, and reproduction of 

 the oyster are principally carried on. In 1873 the year 

 was bad ; the spat did not adhere to the collectors ; and 

 the discouraged rearers abandoned their pares. To avoid 

 total ruin, the Administration of Marine interposed, organ- 

 ised model pares, sent for 250,000 brood oysters from 

 Arcachon, to be laid down in "La Courant ;" it sought, 

 moreover, to restore the courage of the parc-owners, who 

 had given way to needless fears. Its advice was taken ; 

 and the pares, which had been damaged by mud and by 

 mussels, were soon put into good condition. The rearing 

 since then has succeeded so well that no one thinks now 

 of giving up ostriculture. 



In 1875 some parc-owners of Arcachon established 

 themselves on the Island of Oleron, and the quantity of 

 oysters they brought was so considerable that the collectors 

 were covered with spat. This same year, the experimental 

 pare of the Administration of Marine received abundance 

 of spawn ; oysters and collectors were also placed in " La 

 Courant," to form there the basis of a natural bank, and 

 consequently a focus of reproduction. At the Castle, 

 which is the principal centre of labour, there are 2000 

 pares, 700 at Saint Trojan, 300 at Dolus ; 270 hectares are 

 in working order. These localities are situated opposite 

 the mouth of the Seudre. At the Castle the pares com- 

 mence at one kilometre from high-water mark, and end at 

 four kilometres. 



This year 300,000 tiles have been immersed ; it is a 

 strange circumstance that these collectors have not been 



