THE OYSTER. 97 



rocks is surrounded by a circle of stakes, firmly planted 

 in the mud, while their upper ends are united above 

 water by a cord, from which, between each two stakes, 

 a small bundle of twigs is suspended so that it hangs 

 in the water near the bottom. At the spawning season 

 the oysters upon the central pile of rocks discharge 

 countless myriads of embryos into the water, and 

 many of them, finding, close at hand, suitable material 

 for their attachment, fasten themselves in great num- 

 bers to the twigs, and grow rapidly until, at the proper 

 season, the cultivators take up the stakes and bundles, 

 and after removing those oysters which are of a suit- 

 able size for the market, they replace the stakes and 

 fagots, and leave the small oysters to continue their 

 growth until the next season. 



In quite modern times the study of these old methods 

 of oyster culture has resulted in the development of 

 the improved methods which are now employed in 

 France. 



In 1853, M. De Bon, then Commissioner of Marine, 

 was directed by the minister to attempt to restock 

 certain exhausted beds by planting new oysters upon 

 them, and during this work, which was perfectly suc- 

 cessful, he discovered that, contrary to the general 

 opinion, the oyster can reproduce itself after it has 

 been transplanted to bottoms on which it never before 

 existed, and he at once commenced a series of experi- 

 ments to discover some way to collect the spat emitted 

 by these oysters, and he soon devised a successful 

 apparatus, which consisted of a rough board floor, 



