CHAP, viii.] OYSTER INCREASE. 3*71 



pany bears but a small proportion to the yield from private 

 layings, which are in general only a few acres in extent. 

 "The private layings," however, we are told, "cannot fairly 

 be made the measure of productiveness for a large fishery ; 

 as they may be compared to a garden in a high state of culti- 

 vation, while the fishery generally is better represented by a 

 large tract of land but partially reclaimed from a state of 

 nature." The difference in cost of working a big fishery 

 and a little one seems to be great. One of the owners of a 

 private laying states that, when the expense of dredging or 

 lifting the oysters exceeded 4s. per bushel, he gave up work- 

 ing, while in the Colne Fishery dredgermen are never paid 

 less than 12s., and sometimes as high as 40s. a bushel. The 

 Colne Company is managed by a jury of twelve, appointed by 

 the water-bailiff, who is under the jurisdiction of the corpora- 

 tion of Colchester. Whenever it is time to begin the season's 

 operations, the jury meet and take stock of the oysters on 

 hand, fix the price at which sales are to be made, and regulate 

 the charge for dredging, which is paid by the wash. Under 

 direction of the jury, the foreman of the company sets the 

 daily stint to the men ; and so the work, which is very light, 

 goes pleasantly forward from season to season. 



As showing in a tabular form the ratio of oyster-repro- 

 duction, I here subjoin, from the Irish Oyster Blue Book, 

 edited by Mr. Barry, a " Table showing the estimated annual 

 rate of development and increase of value, calculated at four- 

 fold, during a period of four years, of a breeding oyster-bed of 

 the extent of one acre, situated in the Tliamas estuary, capable 

 of producing a good quality of ' natives,' and stocked with 

 1000 bushels of oysters, of 1600 each :" 



FIRST YEAR. 



256 bushels containing each 25,000 oysters, 1st year's 

 spawn, in 1st year of growth, spat at 20s. per 

 bushel . <256 



