348 



THE SEAS 



and only six of these since 1891. After 1907, which was 

 the last of a remarkable series of five consecutive fisheries, 

 there was a blank period of seventeen years. Many 

 attempts have been made to control the supply of oysters 

 artificially but without success for the oysters live in too 

 deep water to be cultivated like the edible oysters in France. 

 Indeed the words of an early writer on the subject, named 

 James Steuart, appear only too true : " It is only when, 

 in the infinite wisdom of the Creator of all things, the 



P-.-./S 



Fio. 64. — Diagram showing formation of a pearl, 

 greatly enlarged. 

 R, nucleus. P, pearl forming. 



oyster brood descends upon the banks suited to nourish 

 and support it — that it comes within our limited power to 

 watch its advancing age, and to fish up the respective 

 deposits in succession as they approach the proper age ; 

 not letting them rest on the banks until they die off, and 

 the pearl is lost ; and carefully abstaining from disturbing 

 those that are too young to contain it." 



When a fishery is to be held, this fact is advertised in 



