XXX.—REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF OYSTER CULTURE IN 
1875, PRECEDED BY A REPORT TO THE MINISTER OF MA- 
RINE AND OF THE COLONIES.* 
By M. DE Bon, 
Commissary-General and Director of Administrative Affairs of the Ministry of Marine and 
of the Colonies. 
REPORT TO REAR-ADMIRAL THE MARQUIS OF MONTAIG- 
NAC, MINISTER OF MARINE AND OF THE COLONIES, BY 
M. DE BON. 
VERSAILLES, January 23, 1875 
After a long Oea of quietude oyster culture rats recently eae con- 
siderable advancement. In the basin of Arcachon, especially, it has 
rapidly developed since 1870. The practical results attained by the im- 
proved methods of work have attracted the attention of all the inhabit- 
ants of the basin, have even acquired a great notoriety abroad, and have 
induced many people to engage in this industry. The demands for con- 
cessions of ground have increased to an unusual extent, and at the same 
time the oyster culturists, already provided with parks, have found them- 
selves much inconvenienced in the establishments they now possess 
from the lack of room in which to raise the young oysters taken in large 
quantities from their collectors. 
A ministerial decision, published in 1860, reserved for the general 
fishery quite an extended area in the basin, upon which the establish- 
ment of parks was prohibited. The suppression of this area was asked - 
for by some in the interest of oyster culture, but there was also another 
party, opposed to this plan, according to whom it was not only neces- 
sary to maintain the existing reservations, but also to refuse all new 
concessions, under the pretext that the multiplication of the parks would 
injure the general prosperity of the basin. : 
At the beginning of last year Vice-Admiral Dompierre d’Hornoy, then 
minister, instructed me to proceed to these places in order to ascertain 
the state of affairs at Arcachon, and toreport to him de-visu. Ireturned 
from this mission convinced that the oyster industry of Arcachon was 
Ministre de la Niavine et des foes par M. De Be Co mimissaire Gene r als Dies 
teur des services administratifs au Ministére dela Marine et des Colonies. (Extrait de 
la Revue Maritime et Coloniale.) Paris: Berger-Levrault et Cie., Rue des Beaux- 
Arts, 5. 1875. Octavo pamphlet, 27 pp. 
[1] 885 
