THE " PARK " AT GRAND CES. 267 



four hundred artificial spat collectors, in addition to the 

 natural "culch," or bottom. Oyster-hives were con- 

 structed, that is, a series of boxes of wood, containing 

 perforated drawers filled with natural bottom, or culch, 

 so that when the parent oysters emitted their spawn it 

 could not escape. The tile system has proved very suc- 

 cessful, and as many as three hundred oysters have been 

 stripped off a single tile. The advantage of having tiles 

 coated with cement is obvious ; as soon as the shells have 

 grown to the size of a sixpence or a shilling, the cement 

 is peeled off with the shells adhering to it and the tile 

 being re-covered with cement, can again be used. It is 

 stated that as many as ten thousand young oysters may 

 be retained in the space of a cubic yard. 



Of the other Government beds in the Arcachon basin, 

 that of Crastorbe occupies thirty acres, while Grand Ces 

 contains twenty -five. All kinds of collecting apparatus 

 are laid down here just before the spawning-season 

 that is, from the middle of June to the end of July ; 

 and these are protected from mud and sea- weed by fences 

 of various kinds. The oysters, which are all carefully 

 selected for spawning purposes, are then placed in and 

 around the various " collectors." When a spawn has 

 been obtained, the oysters are allowed to develop for a 

 few months, after which they are gathered from off the 

 apparatus and set aside to grow in the various depart- 

 ments of the " park ; " the appareils, being then taken to 

 pieces, are cleaned and laid aside till again wanted the 

 best kinds, of course, receiving the preference. 



The grand secret, says our authority, of successful 

 oyster-culture is constant work. It is by unremitting 

 labour that the dredgers at Whitstable and Essex have 



