576 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



had to be surrounded by palisades. They are served by a 

 floodgate, which retains the water, for they emerge at every 

 tide ; but to avoid the injury which the rising tide might 

 cause, the sluice is opened, when the sea has half filled the 

 claire, by passing above its banks. 



This part of the Ostricultural Society's concession is 

 set apart for fattening, and for preparation for travelling. 



The oysters are not transported here till they are 6 

 centimetres, or above that, in size ; here they recover and 

 become plump, but they only gain 2 centimetres in a year. 



The oysters of Crastorbe are produced on the soil and 

 on the tile. A certain number have been laid down at La 

 Tremblade, but usually their first growth is effected at 

 Lahillon. I will add that the bottoms of the pares at 

 Crastorbe have remained in a state of natural oyster-grounds. 



MM. Venot & Co. raise, at the same time, the native 

 and tile oyster. Reproduction on collectors is obtained, 

 especially at Lahillon, and in the pares of Les Jacquets. 

 Tiles alone are employed, and are placed from the month 

 of May to the month of June, according to the average 

 temperature of the spring, which also regulates the emis- 

 sion of the spawn. They are taken up towards the month 

 of November. The separating is done on board " Le 

 Travailleur," and usually before the winter. The spat is 

 immediately put in boxes, where it passes the cold season, 

 and recovers from the wounds which separating may have 

 caused. When transferred in the spring into the pares at 

 Lahillon, it has become sufficiently strong to brave its 

 enemies. 



The Ostricultural Union has this year put down 

 1 10,000 tiles, and its pares contain nearly 30,000,000 young 

 oysters. Sixty persons are continually occupied in this 

 vast labour, and at times, when the work is heavy, this 



