54 MUSSEL CULTURE 



These small ones are prevented from growing- 

 through being squeezed almost to extinction, like 

 the foot of the Chinese lady. In very man}' 

 cases, in fact, it seems likely that those which sur- 

 vive do so largely because they have been able 

 to make room for themselves by squeezing their 

 neighbours to death. Mussels on the margin of 

 a cluster are always found to be comparatively 

 large and healthy. 



When we consider the circumstances under 

 which spawning takes place, the warm weather of 

 the months in which it most commonly occurs, 

 and recollect that the shell -fishes must neces- 

 sarily be covered with water before fertilisation 

 and early development can be effected, it is clear 

 that to obtain a really good fall of spat the beds 

 should not be left too long uncovered during low 

 water. The longer a hot sun or a cold shower 

 can beat upon the ripe mussels, and so produce 

 an extreme rise of temperature and dryness of the 

 beds, or the more a sudden fall of temperature 

 and flooding by rain-water can aflect them, the 

 less chance is there of a large number of eggs 

 being produced. 



It should, I think, be more often recollected, 

 that although the mussel is so largely found 



