CULTIVATION OF MARINE AND FRESH-WATER ANIMALS IN JAPAN. 



279 



buried in mud. This. then, is a very simple system— to collect the oyster spat on 

 bamboo fences, to let it grow on them until a little over a year old, and then to semi 

 the oysters to the market. 



The method known as the Kusatsu system is practiced in the village after which 

 it is named as well as in all other villages that lie to the west of Hiroshima. Four or 

 live bamboo sticks about 4 feet long- are made into clusters and stuck firmly into the 



Cut 5.— Typical oyster farm. Kaida Bay. Cut 0.— Diagram of well-developed oyster [a rm 



The black lines in figs. 5 and li represent newly arranged bamboo collectors, the dotted lines the collectors of the 

 second year. 



bottom so that about 3 feet is left above ground (rut 7). These clumps are arranged 

 in long rows, generally over 1,000 feet in length, each row being in reality double, 

 with clumps in each of these two subordinate rows set alternately. On these clumps 

 the oyster spat is collected, and the young oysters arc allowed to grow on them until 

 April of the next year. At that time the old collectors have to give place to the 

 new set of collectors to be ready for the spat that will soon be shed. Young oysters 



