XNIGHT — ^ON OYSTER CULTURE, 43 



But science Jias been equally successful applied to the pro- 

 pagation of the most valuable of the edible mollusca — the 

 oyster, {ostrea edulis,) and at the present day oyster fields pre- 

 sent as busy an aspect, and are as skilfully managed, as a well 

 cultivated farm. The activity visible in one of the basins or 

 bays where oyster cultivation is most extensively carried on, is 

 thus described : "On all sides, the oyster banks exposed at low 

 tide, and the pontons dry ; over the parks, the oystexmen may 

 be seen, with their wives and their children, covering these do- 

 mains, resembling groups of gleaners in a field. In reality, the 

 cultivation of oysters bears a close analogy to that of the soil. 

 A knowledge of the most suitable soil, its preparation, the seed 

 from the mother oysters, their distribution over other grounds, 

 the destruction of enemies which have the power to injure them^ 

 establish a striking resemblance between submarine agriculture, 

 and agriculture properly so called. An oyster is cultivated as a 

 grain of wheat." 



The paper which I have hastily prepared for the Institute is 

 mainly a grouping of facts obtained from two authorities : — 



1, An interesting pamphlet, in the French language, by Monsieur 

 le Docteur J. L. Soubeiran, Secretary of the Imperial Society of 

 Acclimatization of France, kindly forwarded to me by the author. 



2. The Harvest of the Sea, by James E. Bertram, an English 

 author. The former is dated 1866 ; the latter 1865 — ^both recent 

 works. 



'^ About fifteen years ago," writes Mr. Bertram, " there was 

 scarcely an oyster of native growth in France." The beds had 

 been so exhausted from over-dredging as to be unproductive ; 

 and the people were consequently in despair at the loss of their 

 favourite luxury, and had to resort to other countries for their 

 supply. It was under these circumstances that M. Coste insti- 

 tuted that plan of oyster-culture which has proved so success- 

 ful. To prepare the way for a reference to M. Soubeiran's 

 I)aper on the oyster-parks of Arcachon, let me continue to con- 

 dense Mr. Bertram's description of French oyster-culture. At 

 tile instigation of the French government, M. Coste made a 

 voyage of exploration round the coasts of France and Italy, iu 

 order to enquire into the condition of the sea fisheries ; and to see 



