94 THE OYSTER. 



only three beds remained, and these were so depleted 

 that twenty boats could in a few days carry away all 

 the oysters. 



In 1863, during six tides, upon only one-half of an 

 area of 1000 acres which had been restocked, he 

 obtained 16,000,000 marketable oysters. 



Land was then ceded by the government to indi- 

 viduals, to be cultivated in the same way, and one area 

 of 492 acres was in a few years stocked with oysters 

 valued at ;^ 8, 000,000. 



The government farms were never very successful, 

 but the industry has prospered and grown steadily 

 under private management, and the oyster-culturists, 

 taught by their own experience and by the results 

 attained through the government experimental parks, 

 became more self-reliant ; they improved their imple- 

 ments and their methods of work. It may be affirmed 

 that in the two principal centers in which it is now 

 carried on, the basins of Arcachon and Morbihan, this 

 industry then emerged from its period of uncertainty. 

 The great profits realized there during the past few 

 years have brought oyster culture again into favor, and 

 turned toward it a current of labor and capital much 

 greater than that which flowed in the same direction 

 after the publication of M. Coste's report. Requests 

 for concessions of parks are received by the Minister 

 of Marine from all quarters of the coast. Attempts 

 are being made to reconstruct old and abandoned 

 establishments, while new ones are being started in 

 the majority of localities where others formerly existed. 

 Those seeking grants desire particularly the unclaimed 

 localities in the basin of Arcachon and the rivers of 



