74 Our Food Mollusks 



swimming young might find in this brush a suitable sub- 

 stance on which to attach. This hope was fulfilled, the 

 experiment became widely known, and the beginnings of 

 modern oyster culture had been made in Europe. 



At the time of these observations, M. Coste, Professor 

 of Embryology in the College of France, became greatly 

 interested in the ancient and primitive culture methods 

 which he had examined at Lake Fusaro, in Italy. He 

 seems to have been imaginative, energetic, optimistic, and 

 persuasive. He conceived the idea of transporting this 

 obscure Italian industry to the depleted shores of his own 

 country, and attracted a great deal of attention by the 

 publication of his views in 1855. He suggested means 

 similar to those employed in Italy for collecting the 

 " spat," and proposed that a trial of them be made in the 

 salt lakes in the south of France. 



He succeeded in interesting Emperor Napoleon III, 

 who two years later commissioned him to make experi- 

 ments along the lines which he had suggested. On mak- 

 ing a tour of the French coast, he received a great sur- 

 prise on viewing the work of De Bon. There, before 

 his eyes, were flourishing oysters, not only transplanted, 

 but reproducing themselves in an exposed position be- 

 tween tide lines, and this he had formerly declared could 

 not occur. With a mind fired by the possibilities re- 

 vealed, he published a report to the Emperor, in which 

 he drew a vivid and optimistic picture of the entire coast 

 of France converted into a great oyster garden and 

 bearing an inexhaustible supply of food. 



M. Coste now constructed beds at various points in the 

 Bay of Saint Brieuc, deposited mature oysters over shells 

 previously spread on the bottom to serve as collectors, 

 and suspended bundles of brush for the same purpose. 



