46 REPORT ON OYSTER CULTURE 



they obtain a certain amount of shelter. On such spots only the 

 rough pares shown at p. 24 can be used. 



The first named places, however, give the most favourable 

 chances of success. As a rule a gravelly or muddy bottom, that 

 is to say, with a muddy surface, is most desirable. Sand, unless 

 it has such a mixture of mud with it as prevents violent shifting, 

 being less suitable. On the gravelly bottoms the best results 

 will be obtained as regards breeding, the others are better for 

 fattening, though upon hard mud banks and weed beds in France, 

 pares as already stated are formed at Arcachon and elsewhere. 

 The engraving of one of the Imperial pares at Arcachon (plate 4, 

 Appendix), must here be again referred to. Shoals which are 

 dry in estuaries, harbours, or sheltered bays only at low spring 

 tides (but which are at all other times covered with water), are 

 often found to be favourable both for breeding and fattening, and 

 are utilized as noted above. Such are the shoals on which the 

 Imperial pares are established. 



Foreshores which are also ebb-dry at low spring tides, and which 

 are either gravelly or stony, can be used for pares, more particu- 

 larly if there is a bed of oysters anywhere in the neighbourhood. 

 For fattening, however, there are few places better than a salt 

 marsh, in which pools of salt water already exist. The fattening 

 ponds (termed claires) at Marennes and La Tremblade, of which 

 sketches are appended (see plates 7 and 8), are at both places 

 formed out of salt marshes, and are in many instances only old 

 disused salterns, or salt pans, in which rough salt is made. Here 

 oyster ponds and salterns are often mingled together in apparent 

 confusion. A tidal creek or canal usually runs through the marsh 

 which gives a fresh supply of salt-water to the ponds whenever 

 it may be desired. In these claires the oysters grow and fatten 

 rapidly. In some more rapidly than in others. The number of 

 oysters laid down in claires is proportioned to the time it is 

 intended that they should remain there. For as the food of 

 the oyster is only limited, of course a small number will fatten 

 more rapidly than a large one. The average distribution is 

 about two or three to the square foot. These places chiefly pro- 

 duce the green oyster, the prejudice against which has been 

 already noticed in this report — a more foolish prejudice, or one 

 which it is more desirable to dispel, could hardly exist. The 

 oysters thus gathered are of excellent flavour and quality. Indeed 

 they are by far the best produced in France, and by the prejudice 

 existing against these oysters in England, they shut out very ex- 

 tensive fattening grounds in the vast extent of salt marshes which 

 abound around the coasts, which are now of comparatively little 

 value, but could be most easily utilized, and which would be less 

 liable to plunder and danger than beds in the sea. 



We have frequently referred to muddy or marly bottoms as being 

 most favourable to the growth of the oyster. The blue or London 

 clay, known as marl in Ireland, is usually the foundation of those 

 bottoms. An able report and analysis by Professor Sullivan, 

 given in the Appendix H, deals more fully with this matter, and 

 shows on what parts of the seaboard of Ireland soil of an analogous 

 nature is to be found. 



