38 



When the last row has been placed a quantity of 

 brushwood or pine branches are laid over the stack of 

 tiles and secured by cross battens nailed to each edge 

 of the case (PL III, fig. 13). This serves excellently as 

 an elastic packing to keep the tiles at once firmly in place 

 and to prevent them being broken or damaged by rubbing 

 or jarring against one another during rough weather ; it 

 has the further advantage of protecting the young oysters 

 after their settlement on the tiles from the intensity of 

 the sun's heat — a danger not to be neglected. 



Under normal fine weather conditions when the spring 

 has been genial and warm, spatting takes place during 

 the last fortnight in June ; collectors are then placed as 

 early as 12th June. The summer of last year was un- 

 usually chill and bleak and in consequence few collectors 

 were put in position during June ; even in the first week 

 of July the liming of tiles was still proceeding and many 

 parkers did not lay out their collectors till well on in that 

 month (PI. IV, fig. 14). 



When all collectors have been laid in position 

 they should receive careful attention every few tides ; 

 every effort has to be made to keep them clean and 

 free from any muddy deposit while they await the 

 arrival of the spat ; if this be delayed at all, means should 

 be taken to rinse off the sediment which gathers — the 

 plan in use at Arcachon is the primitive one of dashing 

 water among the tiles by means of a long handled wooden 

 ladle, a similar method to that employed in the town in 

 the watering of the streets. As much violence is used 

 as possible, but it struck me at once how much more 

 effective would be the use of a garden syringe and a short 

 length of hose. Some years this danger of the muddying 

 of the tiles is much greater than others, the amount of 

 mud held in suspension in the water depending on tidal 

 conditions and on the rainfall and weather prevailing at 

 the particular season. 



When once the spat has attached in quantity the 

 constant attention hitherto given is no longer necessary ; 



