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hand-picking is the most efficient check upon the increase 

 of Murex, ascidians, sea-weeds and other minor foes. 



Birds occasionally seek to feed upon the brood- 

 oysters ; to frighten them away scare-crows are some- 

 times put up in the parks just as a farmer does on land. 



(k) Expenses and Profits. 



Capital outlay and the produce of an oyster park are 

 so dependent upon a number of extremely variable 

 conditions and circumstances that it is most difficult 

 to give even an approximate estimate of average profits 

 made by the oyster culturists of Arcachon. No two 

 parks are alike in situation, area and results. One may 

 have had originally a well consolidated surface requiring 

 little expenditure to fit it as culture ground, another 

 had a soft, muddy surface necessitating a large outlay 

 before it was fit to be used as an oyster park. Some 

 parks are specially open to one or other of the dangers 

 besetting this industry; those at the landward side of 

 the basin are liable to injury through fresh-water floods, 

 those at the seaward end to damage from gales. One 

 culturist may work a large area and so be able to conduct 

 his operations more economically than a neighbour 

 having but a small plot. 



Then the situation of one park may be extremely 

 favourable for spat collection and its lessee then makes 

 handsome profits by the sale of brood oysters while 

 another is valueless for spat collection but may be 

 suitable for rearing and fattening ; the expenses and pro- 

 fits of these parks necessarily differ greatly, principally 

 owing to the varying amount of labour involved 

 in these several branches of culture. Such lands are 

 largely in the hands of the descendants of the original 

 concessionaires and exhibit by the high prices realized 

 when any do change hands, how high is their reputation 

 as profit-earning parks. After these parks of primary 

 value come a large number of parks having very second- 

 ary value where returns vary from moderate to poor — 

 where in many cases the laborious efforts of the whole 

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