viii Contents 



the mantle chamber — Cilia tracts on the side of the 

 visceral mass — Mud collected by the gills — The palps 

 organs for determining whether collected material shall 

 be carried to the mouth or away from it — Ciliation of 

 organs of the oyster — Selection or rejection of material 

 determined by its volume — Experiments — Automatic selec- 

 tion of food by the gills of Pecten — Special organs for 

 the rejection of mud in Pholas 49 



Chapter V 



OYSTER CULTURE IN EUROPE AND JAPAN 



Ancient shell heaps — Oyster culture in antiquity — European 

 flat and Portuguese oysters — Destruction of natural oyster 

 beds in Europe — Scientific experiments of M. de Bon and 

 M. Coste — Great initial success of oyster culture in 

 France — Early disaster to the industry — Ignorance of the 

 biological factors involved — Revival of the industry — 

 Spat collectors — The breeding season — Caring for the 

 growing oysters — Oyster culture between tide lines — 

 Oyster parks and their construction — Racks for the young 

 — The " greening " of oysters — Final preparation for 

 market — Japanese oysters — The use of bamboo collec- 

 tors — Growth of the young 68 



Chapter VI 



CONDITIONS GOVERNING OYSTER GROWTH 

 —OYSTER PLANTING IN AMERICA 



Why European methods will not be employed in America — 

 How American is different from European oyster cul- 

 ture — Biological conditions governing oyster growth — 

 Bottom to be selected for oyster culture — Food require- 

 ments — The effect of a variable salinity — Oyster planting 

 — " Seed " oysters — Time required for growth — The 

 amount of seed to be planted — Method of planting the 

 seed — Gathering the seed — Natural beds as sources of 

 seed — Former use of Chesapeake seed in the North — 

 Irregularity of the set in northern waters .... 91 



Chapter VII 



REARING OYSTERS FROM THE EGG 



A method of artificial fertilization of oyster eggs — Wide- 

 spread interest in the discovery of Professor Brooks — 

 Impracticable modifications of the method by others — 



