488 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



period of seven years. Except a few privately-kept oysters, 

 there was no oyster establishment on the island previous to 

 1858. 



The following are authentic statistics of the oyster 

 industry of the Island of Re", when only in the fourth year 

 of the venture : 



Francs. 



Pares for collecting Spawn and Breeding 2,424 



Fattening Ponds (Claires) 839 



Supposed number of Oysters in Pares . . 74,242,038 



Aggregate number in the Claires 1,026,282 



Revenue of the Pares 1,086,230 



Revenue of the Claires 40,015 



Hectares of Ground in Pares and Claires 146 



Proprietors of Beds 1,700 



But more interesting even than the material success 

 that attended the introduction of this industry into the 

 Island of Re is the moral success that accompanied the 

 experiment. Excellent laws were enacted by the oyster 

 farmers themselves, for the government of their peculiar 

 industry. A kind of parliament was devised, and is still 

 in force, for carrying on arguments as to oyster culture, 

 and to enable the four communities into which thepopula- 

 lation has been divided to communicate to each other such 

 information as may be found useful for the general good of 

 all engaged in oyster farming. Three delegates from each 

 of the communities are elected to conduct the general 

 business, and to communicate with the Department of 

 Marine when necessary. A small payment is made by 

 each person, as a contribution to the general expense, 

 whilst each division of the community employs a special 



