[17] OYSTER CULTURE IN MORBIHAN. | 959 
between each two boards, so that the mud, deposited upon them, will run 
off at each side and not collect upon the top.” 
Tiles, however, are the apparatus par excellence for collectors, and they 
are now generally employed. Dr. Henri Leroux sums up as follows, 
regarding the efforts made to employ tiles successfully and in the most 
effective way: 
‘The tile,” said he, “ has the right of priority, but this is not its sole 
merit. Its cost is moderate, it is easily handled, and its weight tends 
to keep it in position in the water. 
‘The sea, however, is subject to 80 many unexpected movements, and 
the oyster bottoms are so covered with shifting mud, that the culturists 
had to struggle against great difficulties for many years. 
“The tiles were first arranged in piles, ia a manner pleasing to the 
eye, and it was hoped that the heavy stones, placed as a weight upon 
each pile, would give the requisite stability to these structures; but at 
the first high tide, a portion of them were overthrown and the work had 
to be done again. 
‘Upon a solid bottom, two tiles are placed upright, and upon the tops 
of these a third is laid crosswise, to separate those which are to follow. 
A considerable number of rows may be arranged and held in place by 
means of flat stones, laid in front of, above, and behind them. In this 
manner the tiles are sufficiently well secured, and may readily become 
covered with young oysters. A hard bottom is not often found, how- 
ever, and generally occurs near the shore, where, at low tide during the 
summer, the sun destroys a large share of the young, the remainder 
finally succumbing to the cold dry winds of September and October. 
If, on the other hand, the tiles are placed upon level bottom, 
the obstacle they present to the action of the sea soon leads 
to a deposit of mud or sand, which may cover them, either 
entirely or in part. 
‘¢ In 1868, in order to preserve the tiles from contact with 
} the bottom, we had a number of boxes made, capable of 
holding about four hundred tiles each. The desired object 
was attained, but the young oysters did not develop except 
upon those tiles which received air and light. These groups 
of tiles served as haunts for star-fishes, crabs, and other 
marine animals, which found there an abundance of proven- 
der. In fact, the construction and maintenance of the boxes 
led to an expense, out of proportion to the results of the - 
harvest. 
“The best method of arranging the tiles is unquestionably 
Fic. 1.— Bou- ; : 2 4 
quet cel by means of stakes. The tiles, pierced with a hole at each 
oe extremity, are united in little piles of twelve or fourteen, 
by means of wires, firmly fastened to the head of the stake, which is from 
three to five feet long, and implanted in the bottom in such a way that 
