OYSTER CULTURE IN FRANCE. 503 



difference between " first" and "second" natives, as they 

 call them, in order to puzzle the ignorant consumer. But 

 it should not be imagined that because Arcachon has been 

 so successful, the oyster fisheries in other parts of France 

 are equally flourishing. Far from it ; indeed, the " beds" 

 in many of the once famous oyster creeks of the Republic 

 are in as bad a condition as some on this side of the 

 Channel. Brittany was formerly famous for its oysters, as 

 might be expected seeing that the conditions under which 

 they were cultivated were much the same as at Whitstable 

 and Colchester. The Breton oysters were rather larger 

 than those found at Ostend, but superior at least many 

 hold them so to the Belgian. Now these are becoming 

 rarer, like our own British natives. Only as recently as 

 last month M. Bouchon-Brandely, the Inspector-General 

 of the French Marine Fisheries, presented to the Govern- 

 ment of the Republic a report on the condition and culti- 

 vation of the oyster-beds of Brittany, which he had recently 

 been visiting. At St. Malo M. Bouchon-Brandely found 

 the oyster industry almost ruined. The river Roma, in 

 which the oyster has been cultivated for over 50 years, is 

 admirably suited for oyster growing, but the local fisher- 

 men have altogether neglected the beds. With a little 

 attention and under proper supervision, the Roma might 

 be made the seat of one of the most flourishing oyster- 

 farms of France. Westward of St. Malo is the once 

 famous oyster ground of the Bay of St. Brieuc. This is 

 reported to have been " entirely destroyed by the reckless 

 use of the dredge." Young and old, the mature oyster 

 capable of reproduction and the young fry coming on, 

 have been dredged up without a thought as to whence the 

 future supply is to come, with the result, of course, that 

 there are no oysters whatever there at the present time. 



