4 MUSSEL CULTURE 



first the strictly local need, and meet the require- 

 ments of neighbouring villages only when there 

 remains a sufficient quantity. In this way, fisher- 

 men at a distance from beds are at a great dis- 

 advantage, and have usually to rely on the purchase 

 of mussels sent to them by rail. Since the time 

 when this practice became necessary, bait has 

 been supplied from the estuaries of the Clyde and 

 Tay, from Ireland, Holy Island, Boston, Lynn, 

 and the Thames. At present, the scalps of the 

 two Scotch estuaries, with a very considerable 

 importation from Holland, form the chief supply 

 of all fishermen who are not fortunate enough 

 to have in their immediate neighbourhood some 

 productive scalp. 



The history of the French oyster industry 

 should have taught us a lesson with regard to 

 both our oysters and mussels. It has not done 

 so in our care of the former shell-fish, but since 

 our mussels take longer to exterminate, we have a 

 longer time in which to change our present con- 

 dition into one of regulated action. 



France was at one time entirely without oysters, 

 through precisely the same want of State regula- 

 tion and supervision as we are now suffering from. 



In studying the system now adopted with so 



