[25] OYSTER-CULTUKE UPON SHORES OF BRITISH CHANNEL. G97 



In front of the buildings, and at a distance of a few meters from the 

 shore at low water, water-tight pits have been excavated in which are 

 placed during winter the fry bred the previous season, to protect them 

 from the cold. 



The collectors made use of by M. de Theveuard vary with the nature 

 of the soil. Upon miry bottoms they are formed of a bunch of ten 

 tiles superimjiosed two and two, successive rows alternating indirection, 

 and are suspended to a stake two meters high. 



A plank nailed to the stake about 30 centimeters below the tiles pre- 

 vents the appq^ratus from sinking into the mud. This very ingenious 

 system, which permits the collectors to be established upon the miry bot- 

 toms of all the rivers of the Morbihan, was invented by M. Eugene Le- 

 roux. M. de Th^venard perfected it, by adding a second plank above 

 the first. 



Where the foundations are firmer they use the common straw collectors 

 {ruches), or simply content themselves with placing tiles one above the 

 other on wooden frames. Sometimes also they use collectors made of 

 boards. 



Before immersing the collectors they are covered with a coating of 

 mud, to which hydraulic lime is added to give it cohesion. The method 

 pursued by M. Martin of the River Crach, which has been adopted 

 by M. de Thevenard, is as follows: 



Into a large vat filled with salt water is stirred mud, to which is added 

 one-tenth its volume of hydraulic lime. It is necessary that the mixture 

 be thin enough to spread easily, then the collectors are immersed in 

 the bath, and remain three or four hours ; afterwards and before the 

 coating is entirely dry they are immersed in another vessel containing 

 only hydraulic lime in suspension in sea-water. 



The collectors are put in place early in the month of June, when the 

 emission of the spawn begins. The spawning season is prolonged to 

 the month of August, or even later in the river Bono. They are with- 

 drawn at the beginning of winter in order to detach the young oysters. 



M. de Thevenard effects the removal of the collectors by means of a 

 barge upon which is erected a lever or sweep, to one of the extremities 

 of which is attached a cord and hook. This is fastened to the collector, 

 which by means of it is readily lifted from the water. This method 

 saves a great deal of time, for the collectors can be readily and easily 

 lifted at all stages of the water. The removal of the young oysters 

 from the board collectors is effected in November and December, and 

 from the tiles in the month of March following. The oysters detached 

 before winter are collected in nursing-frames, and when no further dan- 

 ger is apprehended from the cold these frames are lowered into the 

 river, where their growth is more rapid. 



Establishment of the Brenj^guy. — Not far from the river Auray, 

 behind Locmariquer, a very interesting establishment has been 

 created by the society of which M. d'Argy is superintendent. This 



