[31 



OYSTER-CULTURE AT THE LONDON EXHIBITION. 



915 



they are dipped thoroughly, so that the lime is eveuly distributed, and 

 the brick is then dried in the sun for several days. As sand' from fresh 

 water frequently contains clay, which would be apt to make the surface 

 of the collector slimy, sea-sand is used exclusively. This covering of 

 lime is put on the brick, so that the young oysters can more easily be 

 removed from it. I have heard it stated that the brick is covered with 

 cement, but as far as England and Holland are concerned this is a 

 mistake. 



When the collectors are set out, in June, there is only just enough 

 water in the basin to cover the mother oysters, but after all of the col- 

 lectors have been put in position the basin is again filled to its edge. 

 The collectors remain in the basin till September, when they are taken 

 up and placed in open boxes, which are sunk out in the sea, in water 

 deep enough to secure the young oysters against injury from ice and 

 heavy waves. At the same time the mother oysters are taken from the 

 basin and placed on the beds; this finishes the work of the year in the 

 basins. In May, the collectors, covered with young oysters, are taken 

 out of the boxes, and the oysters are removed from the collectors, sorted, 

 and placed in low, floating wooden boxes, with lids and bottoms of 

 galvanizediron wire. The oysters are not put on the beds until they 

 have reached the size of 3 centimeters. The bricks which have served 

 as collectors are dried and dipped anew in the lime mixture referred to 

 above, and can thus be used for many years. 



In Lord Scott's basins, during the short time they have been worked, 

 there were produced — 



Besides models of these basins, Lord Scott exhibited a number of the 

 apparatus used by him, such as tongs for holding the bricks while they 

 are dipped in the lime mixture ; a wooden funnel, 1 or 1.25 meters high, 

 used in removing the young oysters from the collectors ; knives, with 

 semicircular blades, employed in this process, &c. 



G. Dilluot,of North Hayliug, England, placed on exhibition collect- 

 ors made of sackcloth extended on a framework and covered with a 

 lime mixture ; and also " hospitals," whose sides consisted of j^erforated 

 boards, 15 centimeters broad, with a bottom of wire netting and a lid 

 of sackcloth, being 2 meters long and 1 meter wide. 



From the large Essex oyster-beds exceptionally fine oysters were 

 placed on exhibition. These beds have a stone bottom covered with 

 oyster-shells, where the young oysters are deposited. By a quick blow 

 on the stone or the shell to which the oyster adheres it is separated 



