THE OYSTER. 



119 



effective as spat-collectors. Shell wharves built out 

 into deep water, so as to catch and turn the passing 

 current, are often found to be covered with young oys- 

 ters at all stages of growth and in good condition for 

 planting. 



The month of June is usually the best time for 

 shelling the bottom. The early part of the month for 

 warm seasons and shallow water, and the end of the 

 month for cold springs, or deep water. The quantity 

 of shells varies according to circumstances, but in most 

 cases 1000 bushels to the acre are not too many. 



In shallow waters, where the shells are uncovered at 

 low tide, they may be examined to pick out, for distri- 

 bution upon the planting grounds, those which have 

 young oysters upon them, but in deeper waters the 

 shells must be picked up with tongs or dredges, or 

 they may be strung upon wires and sunk in deep 

 water on suitable frames. 



The chief objection to the use of shells is that the 

 method is a wasteful one. It is not unusual for fifty or 

 a hundred young oysters to fasten upon one shell, 

 and as the shells are too strong to be broken without 

 injuring the young oysters, these cannot be detached, 

 and most of them are soon crowded out and killed by 

 the growth of the others. 



The use of tiles has, therefore, been introduced in 

 France to avoid this loss. 



As tiles can be employed without difficulty in deep 

 water, they are well adapted for use in our bay. Those 

 which are used in France are much like a common 



