OYSTER CULTURE IN FRANCE. 569 



The claires are not spacious, and it has been remarked, 

 especially in the higher claires, which are only submerged 

 three or four days at spring-tide, that the smaller they are 

 the sooner and better the oyster turns green in them. 



It has also been observed, in the pares where fresh 

 water is sometimes too abundant, that the development is 

 arrested, that the fish wastes away and quickly dies ; and 

 that if this water is entirely wanting, the oyster not only 

 does not grow or fatten, but does not become green. 



The Mur de Loup is the spot most favourable to 

 greening. It is generally allowed that this is in con- 

 sequence of the presence of fresh water. In fact, reeds 

 grow on the edges of the claires which could not grow in 

 salt water. 



Thus the rearers of La Tremblade do not hesitate to 

 attribute the greening of the oyster as much to the action 

 of fresh water as to the nature of the soil. Some collectors 

 have been placed in the ponds, but the spat of the 

 Portugal oyster has alone adhered to them. 



LE VERDON. 



Here ostriculture is still in its infancy. The first efforts 

 date from 1874, and were undertaken by MM. Peponnet 

 and Tripota. They have succeeded but little, but it must 

 not be concluded from this that the ostricultural industry 

 cannot flourish in the roadstead of Le Verdon. Recent 

 attempts have been made under better auspices, and if the 

 fresh water, and the heaps of sand which the Gironde 

 accumulates, the sole causes of non-success, can be avoided, 

 Le Verdon will be, on the contrary, an admirably-situated 

 station for oyster commerce. At least 80 hectares of beach 

 are capable of being worked. 



