CONSERVATION AND INCREASE OF PRODUCTION 107 



when they refer to the egg and pre-larval stages, the larval or free-swim- 

 ming stages and the spat to adult stages. 



The modes of propagation are either natural or artificial — natural 

 when the eggs are regularly spawned into the sea-water and develop in 

 the usual way, subject to the exigencies of life, artificial when the eggs 

 are taken from an oyster and fertilized by sperm taken from another 

 oyster, while the products are kept under the control of man. 



The methods of culture of the oyster do not start with the simplest 

 stage — the egg— as is common in the culture of most living things. In 

 the cultivation of plants it is usual to begin with the spore or the seed. 

 In the raising of fish, birds and many other animals it is the rule to 

 commence with the egg. But with the oyster it is the custom to start 

 with spats that are already considerably advanced towards maturity. 



Oyster culture, as generally conceived, is about on a par with the 

 transplanting of small fruit-trees, obtained from a nursery, and looking 

 after them until they are full-grown. This is the reason why oyster 

 culture has been known since early in the historic period, although the 

 egg and first stages of development were not discovered until comparatively 

 recent times. It might easily happen that anchors, ropes, stakes or other 

 objects left in the water of oyster regions could receive a deposit of spat 

 and, acting upon the observation of such an occurrence, somebody began 

 to put out things for the purpose of collecting spat (spat-collectors, cultch 

 or stool). As experience accumulated it would become recognized that 

 some objects proved better collectors than others, or were more easily 

 procured and cheaper and also that spat could only be collected in a certain 

 part of the year. In such a manner a practical method could be developed 

 without a knowledge of what was really taking place. 



Methods in Foreign Countries. — Oyster culture has existed in Italy 

 from early Roman times. In the gulf of Taranto and lake Lucrino 

 much of the old method is still preserved. Modern methods in Italy, 

 France, England, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Portugal have 

 been in part derived from it, and in part are adaptations to special con- 

 ditions of climate, coast, tide, restrictions of governments, temperaments of 

 the people, demands of the trade, scientific research and many other 

 things that have operated to give character to the industry of each country. 

 In their broader and deeper aspects the methods are essentially the same, 

 the difference being more superficial and arising principally in the materials 

 with which the culturists have to work. Everywhere the methods have 

 to conform to the mode of life of the oyster and its course of development. 



The first thing for the culturist to do is to get possession of little spat 

 oysters or "seed" as they are generally called. The next is to grow them 

 to marketable size. Seed oysters are procured on the natural oyster beds 

 (banks or reefs), or are captured by artificial collectors. In every country 

 the earliest impressions of the people are that the natural stock is inexhaust- 



