OYSTER CULTURE IN FRANCE. 493 



A very great deal of attention must be devoted to the 

 oysters while they are in the greening-pond, and they must 

 be occasionally shifted from one pond to another to ensure 

 perfect success. Many of the oyster-farmers of Marennes 

 have two or three claires suitable for their purpose. The 

 trade in these green oysters is very large, and they are found 

 to be both palatable and safe, the greening matter being 

 furnished by the sea. Some of the breeders, or rather 

 manufacturers, of green oysters, anxious to be soon rich, 

 content themselves with placing adult oysters only in these 

 claires, and these become green in a very short time, and 

 thus enable the operator to have several crops in a year 

 without verv much trouble. The claires of Marennes fur- 



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nish about fifty millions of green oysters per annum, and 

 these are sold at very remunerative prices, yielding an 

 'annual revenue of something like two and a half millions - 

 of francs. 



As to the kind of ground most suitable for oyster- 

 growth, Dr. Kemmerer, of St. Martin's (He de Re), an 

 enthusiast in oyster-culture, gives us a great many useful 

 hints. I have summarised a portion of his information : 

 " The artificial culture of the oyster may be considered 

 to have solved an important question namely, that the 

 oyster continues fruitful after it is transplanted from its 

 natural abode in the deep sea to the shores. 



This removal retards but never hinders fecundation. 

 The sea oyster, however, is the most prolific, as the water 

 at a considerable depth is always tranquil, which is a 

 favourable point in oyster-growth ; but the shore oyster- 

 banks will also be very productive, having two chances of 

 replenishment namely, from the parent oysters in the 

 pares, and from those currents that may float seed from 

 banks in the sea. Muddy ground is excellent for the 



