ox OYSTER-CULTUEE IX SCOTLAXD. 283 



collected a large number, laid them down in a sheltered part of 

 the loch, and extended over the bed thus formed long ropes of 

 heather, with the heather in bunches all along, so as to act as a 

 cultch for the oyster spat. This, in a season or so, was well 

 covered with the young oysters ; but, as no government grant had 

 been obtained, the depositor had no security against the public, 

 and the scheme soon fell through from, want of " security of 

 tenure." 



Two years ago we took a lease of the southern shore of Loch 

 Creran, in order thoroughly to test the possibility of creating an 

 industry in connection with oysters among the warm western lochs. 

 Our intention was at first to carry out the French system in its 

 entirety ; but, considering the different character of our seas, 

 and the necessity for the utmost care in securing what spat 

 might be thrown, against being carried away by strong currents 

 or unexpected gales, we set about the matter with even more 

 than French exactitude. 



Having gathered what oysters could be collected in time along 

 our own shores, so that they might not require acclimatising, 

 we had them placed in enclosures erected at the very lowest of 

 ebb tides, so that in no case would the oysters be uncovered, 

 except for a few hours each fortnight. These enclosures v/ere 

 made by driving strong stakes into the ground in a circle, and 

 wattling them all closely around. This formed a strong close 

 basket upwards of six feet high all around the deposited oysters, 

 on which it was hoped the spat would be sure to attix itself ; a 

 firm bottom of small gravel having been previously laid down, 

 on which the oysters were laid. 



The result of the first season was unsatisfactory, as no spat 

 whatever was found upon the wattles, upon the mother oysters, 

 •or upon the gravel. The severity of the season of 1879, and the 

 fact that scarcely any spat or young oysters had been seen 

 among tliose left in the loch, led us to throw the blame on the 

 untoward season ; while the fact of the oysters having been 

 removed to their new position in the middle of the breeding 

 season, also led to the belief that the enclosed shellfish had not 

 liad fair play. 



To counteract these possible errors, we determined to leave 

 the oysters in the enclosures for another season ; as well as 

 make a series of new enclosures, to eliminate from the problem 

 certain possibilities incident to those already iu operation. 



For this })urpose we built one 40 feet in diameter, and upwards 

 of 10 feet high, at the lowest .of the tide; but as the rise of the 

 tide at the highest in Loch Creran is 12 feet, it was still below 

 the surface at high water. As the oysters were all covered with 

 wattled hurdles a foot or two over them, to catch any spat that 

 might rise with the tide, we did not consider the portion of the 



