182 APPENDIX TO REPORT ON OYSTER CULTURE 



the service of the parks, one of them for the purpose of carrying tiles, 

 wood, lime, &c, &c, the other a light boat for the watching of the beds, 

 and to chase poachers, &c. ; they will cost about £24 ; 55,000 tiles, 

 together with wood, and iron wire, necessary for the erection of stacks 

 of tiles — lime (£24), wood and stakes, wicker, broom, for the large 

 ponds on Crastorbe • shovels, picks, hatchets, skates, coal-tar, straw-hats, 

 baskets, knives for detaching, different tools, &c, &c. If we wish to 

 reap the price of our labours, the same sum of 10,000 francs will be 

 necessary for the year 1871. If I ask for the same sum, it is because I 

 will require a second lot of tiles, in order to be free to detach the spat 

 later on in the year, so as not to be compelled to do this in a hurry, to 

 put the old tiles back again on the beds, and consequently to do it more 

 slowly and more carefully, and to injure fewer oysters, then to pick out 

 the injured oysters, to construct boxes, covered with wire gauze, and to 

 place them inside to heal. 



On these conditions what can we hope for? In 1870, four to five 

 millions of oysters, let us only say three millions. In 1871 at least as 

 many. The beds have to-day five millions, this will be at least twelve 

 millions in 1872, and the beds will be self-supporting, at least they will 

 cost very much less, possessing already the tiles. To come to the help 

 of the small parqueurs, and to sell a part of the product for the profit of 

 the Treasury. 



Such are, sir, the actual state of things, and the results that a wise 

 and prudent administration of the Imperial Parks will bring about. 



I dare not, having that object in view, sell any oysters this year, or 

 at least if any were sold, they should only be a very small quantity, 

 until the beds were thickly enough sown to be able to furnish a pro- 

 duction normal and regular. 



I have the honour to be, sir, 



Your most obedient servant, 



A. De Eochebrune. 



Report of the Commandant of the steam vessel, the " Sylphe," 

 to M. Coste, Inspector-General of Fisheries. 



Arcachon, 

 On board the " Sylphe," 

 16th September, 1870. 



I returned to Arcachon on the 12th of this month, and on the same 

 day I visited L'Ahilon. 



The spat last year was good, but this year it is splendid — I then 

 visited several parks and conversed with the parkers ; all are delighted 

 at the results obtained. There are oysters in abundance everywhere. 

 The gardes maritimes, and the Inspector of Fisheries have both con- 

 firmed me in this statement. Never was there ever such a sight seen in 

 the basin. The old residents here say that not since 1859 has there 

 been a similar abundance, but at that time they had not such an import- 

 ant number of collectors (at the lowest calculation two millions of tiles), 

 as were put down this year ; this is the reason I can state for saying 

 that never has there been such a harvest. It is a very manna, sent down 

 from heaven, which ought to guarantee the prosperity of the basin for 

 ever, if the parkers know how to be prudent. There has already been 

 some outlay — work for women and children — the future will be still 

 better, and will give comfort to the people of Arcachon. I cannot as 



