BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 333 



datioii in fact, because it is not possible to doubt that the Portuguese 

 oyster will thrive in any medium favorable to it. Such an opinion would 

 be contrary to the teachings of natural history. We believe also that, 

 in the Lower Medoc district, they will at some future time collect their 

 spat in the Gironde. Meanwhile the intelligent culturists are boldly 

 immersing on the beds in the river thousands of collectors, which are 

 rapidly covered wrh young oysters. This example is bearing fruit. 

 This year the park-culturists of Verdon have put down 120,000 tiles. 

 Next year their imitators will be more numerous. 



It would be the same with the rearing (elevage) of the oyster, and if 

 some one would make an initial attempt, with the proper means, it would 

 be found that the grounds of Verdon, the nature of which is similar to 

 those of Arcachon, where the Portuguese oyster, after detachment from 

 the collectors, grows to an edible size in a year and a half, would produce 

 oysters equal to those of the latter place in size and fatness. Up to the 

 present the oyster industry of Verdon has simply limited itself to the 

 following : To fish and dredge up every year whatever of oysters have ac- 

 cumulated on the beds and concessions, and transport them as promptly 

 as possible to the cultural stations.* 



It is true that the attempts at culture, in the manner urged by us, 

 have not here given the best results. The oysters do very well at first 

 in the claires and marshes, but if their stay is prolonged, they soon 

 sicken. What is the cause of their decline? All those who have had 

 experience in ostraculture would say, the want of fresh water and the 

 renewal of the sea- water; in a word, the absence of oxygen and food in 

 a sufficient quantity to nourish the oysters contained in the rearing 

 ponds. 



We would mention, as relating to this subject, a very remarkable 

 fact. On the Canal de Eambaud there is a park, constructed under the 

 direction of the municipality of Verdon, into which the scattered oys- 

 ters gathered along the coast are deposited. The oysters which here 

 find an asylum grow so rapidly that we have been enabled to present 

 to the administration of the marine some specimens of them which in 

 the space of less than three months had grown from 3 centimeters 

 [1| of an inch] to 8 and 9 centimeters [3 to 3% inches] in diameter. 



The explanation of this phenomenon is as follows: The municipal 

 claire, whose aquatic inhabitants no epidemic has ever disturbed, is 

 situated at the level of the canal, receiving water from it twice a day, 

 the water at most remaining stagnant only two or three days. 



We have expressed the wish, and commended the matter to the en- 



* We would here make an exception in favor of M. Bouckotte, who has established 

 some very well managed cultural parks at Pointe de Grave. But these parks are not 

 of the sort which we would see established. Another exception we would note, in 

 M. Tripota, who himself instituted a series of very instructive and interesting exper- 

 iments; and also in M. Peponnet. These are the only ones who may have established 

 claires for artificial culture. 



