362 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



open space of water, sixteen miles long by three broad, 

 free to all ; about one hundred and fifty boats, each with a 

 crew of three or four men, find constant employment upon 

 it, in obtaining young oysters, which they sell to the neigh- 

 bouring oyster-farmers, although it is certain that the brood 

 thus freely obtained must have floated out of beds belong- 

 ing to the purchasers. The price of brood is often as high 

 as fifty shillings per bushel, ($) and it is the sum obtained 

 over this cost price that must be looked to for the paying 

 of wages and the realisation of profit. Oysters have risen 

 in price very much of late years, and brood has also, in 

 consequence of the scarcity of spat, been proportionally 

 high. 



Whitstable oyster-beds are * worked ' with great 

 industry, and it is the process of ' working ' that gives 

 employment to so many people (eight men per acre are 

 employed), and improves the Whitstable oysters so much 

 beyond those found on the natural beds, which are known 

 as ' Commons,' in contradistinction to the bred oysters of 

 Whitstable and other grounds, which are called 'natives.' 

 These latter are justly considered to be of superior flavour, 



() The author of "The Oyster," &c., (1863) says: " 



that in the Essex Fisheries at Pont, a considerable trade is carried on 

 in 'Brood,' the price of which varies from 4/- to 5/6 per 'wash,' which 

 is two pecks at Colchester, or one in London. Mr. Hawkins gives the 

 complement of oysters in a ' wash ' as follows : ' During the first year, 

 the spat cannot be numbered; the second year brood, 1,600; third 

 year ware, 600 , and the fourth year oysters, 400. A London bushel 

 of the first year, consists of spat, the number of which cannot be ascer- 

 tained ; of the second year brood, 6400 ; of third year ware, 2400 ; and 

 of fourth year oysters, 1600. These figures show a four-fold increase 

 in three years ; or, in other words, four wash of brood (i.e. four pecks), 

 purchased at say 5/- per wash, increase by growth and corresponding 

 value to 42/- per wash, or a sum of eight guineas.' ' 



