OYSTER CULTURE IN ENGLAND. 391 



THE FISH AND OYSTER BREEDING COMPANY. 



This Company were amongst the first applicants for 

 the grant of exclusive fishery rights, under " The Oyster 

 and Mussel Fisheries Act, 1866." The Company came 

 into possession of their fishery at the end of May, 1867, 

 having thus been in occupation about a year and a half. 



The total extent of the concession was 350 acres, the 

 greater part of which was, for all practical purposes, barren 

 of oysters, the " culsh," or shelly coating of the soil to 

 which the young oysters adhere, being also covered with 

 mud, and overrun with weeds and " vermin." Of this area 

 about 100 acres have now been cleaned and brought under 

 cultivation, including 13 acres of ebb-dry foreshore be- 

 tween low-water mark of neap and low- water mark of spring 

 tides, which was formerly mudbank and entirely sterile. 

 During the summer of 1868, and subsequently, the Com- 

 pany have purchased and laid down stock oysters to the 

 value of i i, 631, and these have during the present year 

 borne a crop of spat, with which I found the prepared 

 portions of the ground plentifully covered. Of 56 hauls 

 which I made with the dredge (over various portions of the 

 above ground) in 1867 (before the Company were estab- 

 lished) the result was 



Nine brood and spat. 



Nine oysters of larger growth. 



Of two successive hauls made on the same ground 

 during my recent inspection, the result was 



(ist haul) three brood ; 68 spat, 

 (znd haul) 75 spat. 



(oysters of larger growth not counted) ; or an increase of 

 brood and spat in the proportion of about 450 to one. 



