26 



conditions it may take place as early as January but 

 the height of the detroquage season may be said to be 

 in March and April. When this operation is decided 

 upon, all hands have to take part. The husband trans- 

 ports the tiles to his oyster-shed ashore, the wife, if 

 possible, takes charge of the further operations. With 

 the aid of the children if available, or if not, with 

 hired female help, she sees to the stripping from the 

 tiles of the young oysters now about one inch in 

 diameter. 



After separation from the tiles the oysters are washed, 

 cleaned, and classed into two sizes, those damaged in 

 the process of stripping being kept apart from the 

 others. 



All are then transported back to the park and so far as 

 the means of the cultivator permit are put into oyster cases 

 called caisses ostrdophiles or ambulances (hospitals) where 

 they stay till they are sufficiently grown to withstand most 

 of the dangers they will experience when spread over the 

 open surface of the park. In order to raise large numbers 

 upon a limited area, constant attention has therefore to be 

 given to raking and re-spreading and cleaning. A rough 

 tide heaps the oysters along the leeward side of the park 

 fencing and if not re-spread much loss would occur. 

 For this reason also the fences and borders of the parks 

 require constant supervision, both to keep out enemies 

 and to keep in the oysters. 



Under the regulations governing oyster-culture at 

 Arcachon, no oyster may be exported under 5 centimetres 

 (two inches) in diameter. This size is reached usually 

 in from 18 months to 2 years time, when the oyster 

 farmer usually sells off the greater part of his stock to 

 make room for the new lot of young oysters he has 

 secured upon his spat-collectors. Some cultivators keep 

 a portion of their stock another 6 to 1 2 months before 

 selling, although the mortality is considerable during 

 this interval — prices at the age of 2 J and 3 years being 

 naturally much higher than when the oyster is but 

 18 months old. 



