[37J OYSTER-CULTURE UPON SHORES OF BRITISH CHANNEL. 709 



month of September to the month of Fel>ruary. The deep claires begin 

 to become green in the month of November, and lose their color about 

 the month of April. 



The oj'sters which are bred at Marenues are either i)roduced in the 

 pares of Oleron or they are brought from Bretagne and Arcachon. 

 Arcachon especially disposes of the greater part of its products as 

 soon as they are salable. 



The young oysters, when received, are first spread out over the bottoms 

 of the viviers or in tlie depots. In November, after remaining here from 

 six to seven months, they have attained a diameter of from 7 to 9 centi- 

 meters. According to circumstances, from fifteen days to a month is 

 sufficient time for subsequent exposure in the claires in order that they 

 may attain those qualities which permit them to be marketed or sent au 

 eouteau, using the expression employed by the parqueurs of the Seudre. 



Before being sent from the jiarcs it is necessary, however, that they 

 should be subjected to a last preparation, with the object of accustoming 

 them to bear transportation without injury. To accomplish this, they 

 are transferred to a compartment, the bottom of which is asphalted or 

 covered with sand, and into which is admitted the purest and freshest 

 water. The oyster remains some days in this reservoir, until itdisgorges; 

 then it is washed and shipped. 



Some of the riparian land-owners, among others MM. Blanchard, 

 Jourdes, and Le Beau, have converted into oyster claires the salt 

 marshes situated outside of the maritime domain. The success of this 

 enterprise is of lively interest at Marenues. The areas at the disposal 

 of the administration are all allotted, and nevertheless numerous appli- 

 cations are received every day. 



We may assert without contradiction that the success of this trans- 

 formation is assured. 



The oyster-cultural industry at Marenues has made considerable prog- 

 ress since 1873. Large parqueurs have come there and organized 

 establishments complete in every detail of arrangement and administra- 

 tion. That of M. de Faramond, of Lafayole, which is one of the most 

 recent, deserves some words of description. 



The site of his establishment is at the mouth of the Seudre, in the 

 Bay of Sinche. This establishment, which is very intelligently ar- 

 ranged, is composed of twelve claires, each about 40 meters square, six 

 on each side of an embankment 2 meters wide. Upon this embankment 

 M. de Faramond, who wished to avail himself of the most recent im- 

 provements, has constructed an iron railroad, with service trucks, in 

 order to accomplish the rapid and inexpensive transportation of his 

 oysters from the vessels to the claires, and at a later period to the dis- 

 gorging i)onds (degorgeoirs), and from there to the packing houses, sit- 

 uated at one end of the concession. He finds it advantageous to keep 

 in each claire oysters of all qualities and all dimensions. Consequently 

 he has but a single compartment to enter to get whatever kind is in 



