PROFITABLE CULTIVATION OF THE OYSTER. 883 



As scarcely any oysters were shipped farther inland, it was necessary 

 that the price should fall rapidly if the oysters were not to spoil. And 

 this rapid fall iu the price of oysters preserved the beds from being ex- 

 hausted. 



. But as soon as the railroads brought fresh oysters to the inland cities 

 the number of oyster-eaters increased, and thus the demand for oysters 

 likewise increased from year to year in spite of the rapid rise in the 

 price. I think that this has caused a more reckless fishing of oysters 

 since 1852 ; and this conviction is strengthened by the fact that at the 

 inspection of 18G9 there were only 282 half-grown oysters to 1,000 full- 

 grown ones, instead of 421, as in former years, and during the five in- 

 spections held, 1872 to 1876, this number had decreased to an average of 

 107. 



Many Englishmen who are theoretically and practically well versed 

 in everything which concerns the oyster think that the rapid decrease 

 of the number of oysters is not caused by too reckless fishing, but try 

 to explain the fact by a series of years unfavorable to the breeding of 

 the oyster. According to their statements no considerable number of 

 oysters has been bred since 1857-'59. This may be true with regard to 

 some oyster-beds, but it has no influence on the general oyster-trade on 

 the western coasts of Europe, as this is not dependent on particularly 

 favorable summers, but on the average climate. And, according to ob- 

 servations made by the Paris Observatory, since 1806 this average cli- 

 mate has remained the same during this century, which has witnessed 

 the total depletion of some West European oyster-beds. 



If the average profit from a bed of oysters is to remain permanently 

 the same, a sufficient number of mother-oysters must be left on it, so as 

 not to diminish the capacity of maturing. For if all the destructive 

 causes continue in the same degree, the capacity of maturing must de- 

 crease in the same proportion as the number of oysters capable of prop- 

 agating is diminished. 



If an oyster-bed is to retain its usual capacity of maturing, even when 

 its productiveness is diminished, the causes which destroy young oysters 

 must be diminished. This can be done : 



1. By increasing the number of places to which young oysters can 

 cling. 



2. By diminishing the number of enemies of the oyster. 



This can only be done under such favorable natural conditions as in 

 Arcachon and some other places on the French coast, at least on such 

 a scale as to make the profitable cultivation of the oyster possible. As 

 we cannot cultivate it on our coasts, it is our duty to regulate the fish- 

 ing in our natural oyster-beds in such a manner as to make them pro- 

 duce permanently the highest possible average quantity of oysters. As 

 the annual increase of half-grown oysters is 421 to every 1,000 full grown 

 oysters, not more than 42 per cent, of these latter ought to be taken 

 from a bed during a year. 



