314 OSTREADiE. 



for tlieir marine flavour ; probably on account of the faci- 

 lities for rapid importation of them in fine condition. 

 Much of the quality depends on the ground and condition 

 of the beds; and oysters of different years from the same 

 place often vary materially in this respect. They are con- 

 sidered full-grown for the market when from five to seven 

 years old : sea-oysters at four years. The age is shown 

 by the annual layers of growth or " shoots ^ on the 

 convex valve. Up to three or four years, each annual 

 growth is easily observed, but after their maturity it is 

 not so easy to count the layers. Aged oysters become 

 very thick in the shell. In the neighbourhood of fresh 

 water the oyster grows fast, and improves in body and 

 flavour. The flavour is said by some to improve by shift- 

 ing the oysters as they approach their full growth. Frost 

 kills numbers, and when they are left dry at low ebbs, the 

 run of fresh water from the land turns them what is called 

 " foxy," of a brownish red colour. They are sometimes 

 seized with sickness during the spawning season and con- 

 siderable numbers may die. Much labour is required to 

 keep the beds in good order, cleansed from shells and 

 rubbish, star-fishes, barnacles, corallines, and sea-weed, 

 which grow freely in the spring of the year. On the 

 cleanliness of the ground, the prolific character of the 

 bed, if the oysters breed there, depends. If carefully 

 attended to, a bed may last any length of time, but if 

 neglected it will become overgrown with weed and buried 

 in mud, so that it can only be reclaimed by restocking at 

 a great expense, or is altogether destroyed. Artificial beds 

 for the purpose of keeping a supply at hand for the 

 London market are said to have been commenced about 

 the year 1700 by the Kent and Essex Companies of 

 Dredgers. The oyster does not breed freely, often not 



