27 



Few cultivators rear their oysters to a size at which 

 they may go into consumption, as Arcachon is not so 

 well suited to this phase of the industry as many other 

 oyster centres ; for instance an oyster sold at two years 

 old to a Marennes culturist and farmed for one year in 

 its new abode is of a size of shell and flesh at the end of 

 this time such as is attained at Arcachon only at the end 

 of four and even five years of age. For this reason the 

 bulk of the culture at Arcachon limits itself to what is 

 termed demi-elevage, the production of brood oysters and 

 their care till old enough to sell to oyster farmers whose 

 parks are more favourably situated for fattening. 



A noteworthy feature in the regulations governing 

 oyster culture at Arcachon is the prohibition which 

 exists against the sale of any oysters between 15th May 

 and 1 st September, a regulation which is a grievance 

 and a hardship to many parkers, but which is enforced 

 with a view to obviate any danger which might otherwise 

 accrue to the industry were there to be any great de- 

 pletion of the stock of mature oysters during the spatting 

 season. 



(3) Detailed Description of Cultural Operations. 



(a) Selection of suitable culture ground and the 

 preparation of the surface of the park. 



One of the chief characteristics of the Arcachon basin 

 is the extreme variability in cultural value of the ebb-dry 

 flats whereon oyster farming is conducted. Three factors 

 conduce to this, the nature of the soil, the salinity of the 

 laving water, and the degree of current wash experienced. 

 This fact is also recognized by the administration which 

 grades the parks into three classes paying annual rentals 

 proportionate to the assessed value from a cultural stand- 

 point, 54, 45 and 36 francs respectively per hectare. 

 Quite often one side or one corner even of a small flat 

 may be specially adapted for the collection of spat while 

 the side or corner opposite may be of little or no value. 



