350 



THE OCEAN WORLD. 



under water, except at the period of spring tides. These are gathered 

 in sacks made of old matting, or suspended in interstices of the basket- 

 work. "These immense palisades," says M. Coste, " cover themselves 

 with black clusters of mussels developed between the meshes of their 

 tissues." At that time the second rows are cleared away to make 

 room for younger generations ; the mussels, which no longer dread the 

 air, are transported to the more advanced bouchots, which remain 

 above water in all tides, where they stay till they are fit for market, 

 which usually happens after ten or twelve months of culture on the 

 more advanced bouchots. 



But, in order to prepare for this consummation, they are subjected 



Fig. 161. Piles, with basket-work, covered with mussels in a fit state to be gathered in. 



to a second and even a third remove. There is no longer any danger 

 in subjecting them to the air for many hours. From this they pass 

 to a fourth stage, termed Amont (Fig. 161). From this stage the 

 full-grown mussel is removed. Under this system of culture the 

 reproduction, nursing, collecting, and preparing for market, are made 

 simultaneously. From July to January the mussel trade is in full 

 operation, and the flesh in perfection. From February to April is 

 the close season ; their flesh is then poor and leathery. It is also 

 remarked that those which inhabit the upper rows of the wicker-work 

 are of a mellower flavour than those on the lower ranks, and that the 

 intermediate rows are an improvement on those which are buried in 



