[7] OYSTER-CULTURE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. 913 
care which they need. The growth of the oyster takes place rapidly 
and regularly; from two to two and a half years suffice for the young 
oysters to reach a diameter of from 7 to 8 centimeters (about 3 inches). 
The oyster of Tarente is of good growth; its shell is usually rather 
thick, this being due tothe great amount of calcareous matter contained 
jn the sea-water. This peculiarity, however, in no way impairs the reg- 
ularity of its form. 
The number of oysters obtained each year from the parks of Tarente 
is estimated at about 10,000,000. Before forwarding them they are ex- 
posed to the air for twenty-four hours, in order that they may be the more 
easily cleaned afterwards. The sale of oysters is absolutely free, what- 
ever may be their size, orthe season. Butit is unnecessary to state that 
during the summer, the period of gestation, oysters are never sold. It is, 
moreover, to the advantage of the fishermen that their oysters should 
have attained a good size before being offered for sale. 
The prosperity of the fishermen of Tarente is, unfortunately, disturbed 
from time to time. From a volcanic excavation situated below the con- 
vent of Saint Antoine, and which is obstructed during long periods of 
time, surges sometimes a boiling sulphurous spring, which flows down 
into the Little Sea. As soon as this phenomenon manifests itself, con- 
sternation spreads among this population of ten thousand fishermen, who 
live exclusively upon the products of the sea. The Little Sea then takes 
a reddish tint; the water of the springs, lighter than that of the sea, is 
rapidly transported by the currents. The fish are able to flee from this 
pest, but the oyster, the mussel, and shell-fish in general are quickly 
poisoned. When the water is in this state the fishermen call it “the 
seaof blood.” This fortunately happens only at rare intervals; but, never- 
theless, within the past twelve years it has taken place twice; formerly 
it had become almost a legend, for it had not occurred within the memory 
of man.* 
* OYSTER-CULTURE IN Norway.—The work lately undertaken in Norway by Lieu- 
tenant-General Wergeland, formerly minister of war, enables us to further extend the 
comparative study of the methods of oyster-culture in the different seas. 
There are remarkable differences between the processes in use in the Mediterranean 
and in the ocean, but these differences can only be the more sensibly realized if we go 
as far as the North Sea. Hitherto, Vivier-sur-Mer, in the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, 
seemed to be the most northern limit where oyster culture assumed all its phases, for, 
if at certain more northern points on the Norman coasts, and at a few stations on the 
southern and eastern coasts of England, young oysters have been taken by the aid of 
scientific appliances, the means of preserving the spawn are still to be discovered and 
these experiments have not been practically applied. 
Considering the latitude of Norway, the intense cold which prevails there during a 
large part of the year—cold so intense that sometimes the spawning of the oyster on 
the natural banks is without results for several seasons; and, moreover, considering 
the distance of Norway from those countries from whose experiences she might profit, 
and from which she might obtain information, it will be readily seen how numerous 
are the difficulties to be overcome in the establishment of oyster culture on the shores 
of Norway. General Wergeland was not deterred by these obstacles. After carefully 
consulting works relating to oyster culture which had been published in foreign coun- 
S. Mis. 29 ———58 
