[49 ] OYSTER CULTURE IN MORBIHAN. 991 
must have 3,000 acres. Where will they be found upon the coast of 
Morbihan? The shores are muddy; the attempt to utilize them would 
be to change the order of things; to modify the equilibrium in the beds 
of rivers, and induce a deposit of mud. On the other hand, if a high 
rent, which would be justified by a well-established occupation, be im- 
posed upon our culturists, a budding industry will be stifled. The in- 
fluence of the state should come in between the culturists, who desire 
to develop their establishments, and the obstacles, opposed to such de- 
velopment. It is incontestable that, to prevent the deposition of mud 
and the modification of the bed of our rivers, the creation of parks might 
be combined with a judicious system of damming. But this operation 
necessitates a connected study of the courses of our rivers, which could 
not be undertaken by our culturists, who have not the means necessary 
to bring it to a successful issue. 
The state alone, by means of the help employed by the minister of 
public works, might set on foot the requisite studies to determine at 
once: first, the surfaces which can be transformed; second, the technical 
conditions under which this transformation is possible, without injury 
to the general welfare. This labor accomplished, the result should be 
brought to the knowledge of culturists, who could then take into con- 
sideration the chances of gain or loss, success or failure, which the labor 
of raising and fattening might offer them. 
Would it not be desirable to know to what extent this industry might 
be developed upon the coast of Morbihan, if this programme could be 
realized, and these numerous parks established ? 
At present 80 millions of young oysters a year represent a value of from 
$60,000 to $80,000. Ifthe process of fattening were made practicable, 
the increased production would place 40 millions of edible oysters at 
the disposition of consumers, and then the results of the industry might 
be reckoned at about $1,200,000, calculating the price to be about $16 a 
thousand. The 80 millions of young oysters require 160,000 days’ labor, 
of both men and women; if raising were undertaken, 600,000 days’ labor 
would be necessary. Let it not be asserted ‘in opposition to this that, 
after all, the fattening of oysters is attended to in other places, and 
though Morbihan may suffer by not undertaking it, still the general in- 
terest would not be the loser. This is an error, because the bottom 
can be adapted to fattening, and therefore not to utilize it is to neglect 
a source of wealth. 
It is the duty of the authorities of the department of Morbihan to ex- 
amine the situation well. The preserving of sardines along our coast 
already realizes about $2,000,000 annually. Oysters, to the value of 
$1,200,000, might easily be put into market, and so the annual amount 
of the industries of our coast would amount to $3,200,000. This is a 
considerable sum, and large enough to warrant the attention of those 
who believe, that the public wealth is closely allied with individual and 
local wealth. 
