THE COASTS OF SAINTONGE. 315 



whilst the full grown mussels which are fit for sale, 

 are planted on the bouchots nearest the shore. It is 

 from this part of the mussel-bed that the fishermen 

 reap their harvest, and every day enormous quantities 

 of freshly gathered mussels are transported in carts, 

 or on the backs of horses, to La Rochelle and other 

 places, from whence they are sent as far as Tours, 

 Limoges, and Bordeaux. They will no doubt soon 

 be sent to Paris, by means of railways, and our 

 epicures may then compare the wild mussels, which 

 are sent to us from Normandy and Boulogne, with 

 those that have been artificially bred by Walton's 

 system. 



The following data, which were collected by M. 

 d'Orbigny more than twenty years ago, will show 

 how important this branch of industry must be to the 

 district in which it is cultivated. In 1834 the three 

 communes of Esnandes, Charron, and Marsilly, re- 

 presenting a population of 3000 souls, possessed 340 

 bouchots, the original cost of which was valued by 

 M. d'Orbigny at 696,660 francs ; the annual expenses 

 of maintaining them amounted to 386,240 francs, in- 

 cluding the interest of the capital employed and the 

 cost of labour, which however is spared to the pro- 

 prietor who works on his own account. The nett 

 revenue is estimated at 364 francs for each bouchot, 

 or 123,760 francs for the three communes. Finally, 

 the expense of the carts, horses, and boats, employed 

 in transporting the mussels, then amounted annually 

 to 510,000 francs; but these numbers are far from 

 representing the expenses or profits at the present 

 day. At the time that M. d'Orbigny lived at Es- 



