CHAP. viii. J ABOUT " NATIVES." 369 



no particular reason can be given for their being so, and indeed 

 in many instances they are not natives at all that is in the 

 sense of being spatted on the ground but are, on the contrary, 

 a grand mixture of all kinds of oysters, brood being brought 

 from Prestonpans and Newhaven in the Firth of Forth, and 

 from many other places, to augment the stock. The so-called 

 "native" oysters and the name is usually applied to all that 

 are bred in the estuary of the Thames are very large in flesh, 

 succulent and delicate in flavour, and fetch a much higher 

 price than any other oyster. The beds of natives are all 

 situated on the London clay, or on similar formations. There 

 can, however, be no doubt that the difference in flavour and 

 quantity of flesh is obtained by the Thames system of trans- 

 planting and working that is vigorously carried on over all the 

 beds. Every year the whole extent of the layings is gone over 

 and examined by means of the dredge ; successive portions 

 are dredged over day by day, till it may be said that almost 

 every individual oyster is examined. On the occasion of 

 these examinations, the brood is detached from the cultch, 

 double oysters are separated, and all kinds of enemies and 

 these are very numerous are seized upon and killed. It re- 

 quires about eight men per acre to work, the beds effectually. 

 During three days a week, dredging for what is called the 

 "planting" is carried on; that is, the transference of the 

 oysters from one place to another, as may be thought suitable 

 for their growth, and also the removing of dead ones, the 

 clearing away of mussels, and so on. On the other three 

 days of the week it becomes the duty of the men to dredge 

 for the London market, when only so many are lifted as are 

 required. A bell is carried round and rung every morning to 

 rouse the dredgers whose turn it is for duty, and who at a 

 given signal start to do their portion of the work. As to this 

 working of the oyster-beds, an eminent authority has said it 

 is utterly useless to enclose a piece of ground and simply 



2B 



