OYSTER-INDUSTKIES OF THE UNITED SEATES. 285 



brought into the market, I have not a doubt that their excellent quali- 

 ties will readily secure consumers.* 



From whatever point of view we regard the shell-fisheries of the 

 United States, they present remarkable results. The food provided for 

 the people ; the resources furnished agriculture by use of the shells ; 

 the influence upon coast navigation, which is so greatly developed by 

 th.em 5 the work provided for the poorer classes, &c, all claim the earn- 

 est attention of political economists. Oysters and clams have now be- 

 come necessities of the first importance in North America, and show how 

 much the productions of the sea may add to the riches of a country, 

 whatever may be the means employed to obtain them in abundance. 



Apart from the interesting question of acclimation, the exposition of 

 this industry is of service, in showing us the necessity of pursuing the 

 fruitful field opened by the perseverance of M. Coste. The marvelous 

 results obtained in a few years, on those parts of the coast where he has 

 experimented, no longer admit of a doubt as to the value of his ingen- 

 ious method of ostriculture. It will certainly be necessary to make a 

 more complete study of our shores in order to prevent mistakes, or 

 rather badly conceived enterprises ; but this work once accomplished, 

 there are few industries of France which offer as many probabilities of 

 success. 



I have often heard it stated as a reproach to ostriculture, that it had not 

 produced in the bay of St. Brieuc all the results expected ; that although 

 the fascines immersed were covered with embryos during the breeding- 

 season, they had not prospered and formed new banks. Having never 

 been in circumstances to verify the truth of this assertion, I cannot say 

 how well it may be founded ; but, admitting it to be true, I cannot see 

 how it militates against ostriculture. It proves, at most, the utility of 

 transplanting the young generations attached to the collecting appara- 

 tus, thus putting in practice means employed with many products of the 

 soil. To expect of a science, which dates but avery few years back, 

 the unfailing success which belongs only to long experience, seems to 

 me to be very unreasonable. 



Pisciculture, hirudiculture, ostriculture — in a word, all the industries 

 which relate to the domain and constitute the agriculture of the sea — 

 must necessarily pass through all the stages from infancy to maturity j 

 but in order that they may rapidly bring forth fruit, thoughtless pre- 

 judgment should not interfere with their progress. 



The most prejudiced persons with whom I have conversed upon the 

 subject of ostriculture, admit that the embryos can be obtained in un- 



ence has shown that those from the Chesapeake may be transplanted to all the North- 

 ern States without deteriorating in quality ; and it is remarkable how much they will 

 improve under certain hydrographic conditions. The salt-oysters of Massachusetts, 

 so highly esteemed in New York, originally come from Virginia and remain several 

 months in Boston Bay or that of Wellneet, (Cape Cod.) 



* By a remarkable coincidence, the oyster from "Virginia, which we are endeavor- 

 ing to naturalize in the basin of Arcachon, is found in the fossil state in the neighbor- 

 hood of Bordeaux. 



