726 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2] 



Paris, October 30, 1881. 



Monsieur le Ministre : The preparation for the course of oyster- 

 culture, which you have been so good as to intrust to me, has' led me to 

 visit tlie principal centers of oyster-culture in France. 



I feel it my duty to render you an account of what T have had an op- 

 portunity of observing during my trip, and to lay before you the actual 

 state of oyster-culture in our country. This industry, which is so new 

 and so essentially French, has made rapid strides. 



It is not for me now to give the history of oyster-culture ; but suffice to 

 say, its origin is of recent date. In fact, it was not until after the pub- 

 lications and the experiments of M. Coste (1856-1858) that the atten- 

 tion of the inhabitants of our coasts was attracted to the possibility of 

 rearing oysters artificially. These experiments, to which the state de- 

 voted considerable sums, produced great effect. M. Coste, with an 

 enthusiasm perhaps somewhat exaggerated, but i)roductive of definite 

 and happy results, announced that a new source of wealth was opened 

 up to France. 



The experiments, conducted simultaneously in the ocean and the 

 Mediterranean, proved for the most part failures. On the other hand, 

 and this has been too much overlooked, the experiments in the basin of 

 Arcachon were crowned with success. Since then the stimulus has 

 been given, and the industry of oyster-culture has not failed to make 

 rapid progress. 



Oyster culture comprises two very distinct branches ; one being pro- 

 duction, and the other rearing and fattening. 



Production aims at the collection of the embryo oysters, and in this 

 way saves a vast number, which but for the intervention of man would 

 be lost. It is well known that at the moment of its birth the young- 

 oyster is provided with locomotive powers, enabling it to swim in the 

 midst of the sea. 



After drifting for some time, the young oyster fixes itself on some ex- 

 traneous body, loses forever its locomotive organs, and becomes the mol- 

 lusk so well known. But these embryo oysters cannot fix themselves 

 indifferently upon any bodies coming within range. 



These bodies must be sufficiently smooth and clean. It happens, 

 therefore, that in the natural course of things, a great quantity of these 

 minute beings, the spat, not finding any objects to which to become at- 

 tached, falls to the bottom of the sea and perishes. Indeed, that por- 

 tion which has become attached under favorable circumstances is for a 

 long period exposed to many dangers. 



With the view of obviating these inconveniences, the oyster-culturists 

 lay down in the vicinity of natural beds different bodies, designated by 

 the name of collectors, which are intended to collect and preserve the 

 spat. When the spat has become stifficiently developed it is detached, 

 taken off, and given over to the rearer. 



Bearing consists in placing the spat in the best conditions possible, so 



