1032 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. | [4] 
oysters are protected from crabs and other enemies, whilst the water 
has free access and supplies all the food required. 
The oyster parks or ponds are specially intended to protect the young 
oysters from the cold of winter, which is very hurtful to young oysters, 
especially when they are in shallow water. In his work (referred to 
above) Professor Mébius enters very fully into this question, and it is 
therefore not necessary for me to dwell on it any more. 
Oysters which have been treated in the manner above described are 
ready for the market in the second year. It is but natural that only 
a portion of the young oysters which have been scattered should grow up 
and become fit for the market. The firm of Meulemuster & Co., in Ber- 
gen op Zoom, which owns one of the largest establishments for oyster 
cultivation on the Yerzeke Bank, forwarded between 2 to 3 millions of 
oysters to the market in 1875. This number was the result of 123 mil- 
lions young oysters placed on the bank during the season 1873-774. 
About 70 per cent., therefore, had perished,* partly through the low 
temperature, but partly also by the numerous enemies of the oyster, 
prominent among which is the star-fish. In 1876 the same firm sold 
2 millions oysters, which in the beginning of the season brought 80 marks 
($19.04) a thousand, and somewhat later 100 marks ($23.80). These fig- 
ures will convey an idea of the extent of the oyster business done by this 
firm. The total number of oysters which came into the market from 
these rented oyster-beds in 1875 was about 30 millions. From the offi- 
cial reports of the Netherlands Commission of Sea-fisheries (from which 
the above figures are taken), we are enabled to get the exact number 
of oysters which, in 1876, were furnished by the natural and artificial 
oyster-beds in the Zeeland waters (viz, 36 millions), but it is impossible 
to ascertain how many were furnished alone by the artificial beds. In 
1877 the yield was not quite 10 millions, whilst in 1878 it was much 
larger. The market price in 1877 was, in the beginning of the season, 
135 marks ($32.13), and somewhat later 160 marks ($38.08) a thousand. 
Good and bad years alternate, as in most other branches of industry. 
The peculiar feature of the oyster cultivation, as carried on in the Neth- 
erlands, is this, that two years ahead it can be ascertained with a toler- 
able degree of probability whether the oyster harvest will be a success 
ora failure. In 1877 a large number of young oysters were placed on 
the banks, and the winter 4877~78 was a mild one, so that in all prob- 
ability 1879 will be a good oyster year. The demand for Dutch oysters, 
*Ttissaid that in France about 80 percent of the young oysters become fit for market. 
This seems to be owing to the circumstance that in the French oyster establishments 
the oysters, which have adhered to different objects in autumn, «are not taken off 
in spring, but are allowed to cling to the collectors for a whole year. In em- 
ploying this method twice the number of tiles is required, therefore a larger working 
capital. Last year (1878) attempts were made in the Zeeland oyster establishments 
to introduce the French method in the eastern Scheldt, and, as it seems, with good 
results. 
