MOLLUSCS AS FOOD 289 



oysters, which may be further grown where produced, or else 

 despatched elsewhere. The practice varies largely in different 

 countries, and perhaps the most interesting case is afforded by 

 France. It may be remarked in passing that the Italian oyster- 

 industry has existed continuously from the times of the ancient 

 Romans, and that the oysters are commonly grown upon bundles 

 of twigs {fascines). The Dutch largely employ earthenware tiles, 

 and the numerous estuaries of Holland afford suitable localities. 



The large development of oyster-culture in France during the 

 last few decades is very remarkable, and is the outcome of some 

 experiments made in 1853 by M. de Bon, commissaire of marine 

 at St. Servan. At that time the natural oyster-beds of France 

 had been so much depleted by over-dredging that not only was 

 strict legislation regarding them necessary, but the question of 

 future supply naturally demanded attention. The observer men- 

 tioned found that the oyster-fry readily attached themselves to 

 pieces of stone or stick, and this was the first step in the evolu- 

 tion of "collectors" to serve this end. The earliest attempts to 

 revive the industry by artificial culture were unfortunately not 

 successful, but many natural obstacles were gradually overcome, 

 the final result being a flourishing and highly-specialized trade, in 

 which there is much division of labour. The total annual value of 

 the industry considerably exceeds half a million pounds sterling. 

 In 1902 the fresh oysters imported into this country from France 

 were worth ^30,000. 



Public dredging of the natural oyster-banks of France is so 

 stringently limited by Government that they are of little im- 

 portance as regards the direct supply of the market. They 

 are, in fact, regarded as a reserve of spawning individuals, by 

 which vast quantities of spat are produced. One important 

 branch of the industry is to catch the spat on collectors in- 

 geniously adapted to the conditions of particular localities. Some 

 of these devices are made of boards, fixed together in successive 

 tiers; but most of them consist of curved earthenware tiles, ar- 

 ranged in wooden crates, wired together, or otherwise associated 

 (fig. 1 2 10). Whatever their precise nature, they are mostly to 

 be found fixed in their appointed places near low tide-mark or 

 in shallow water, by the beginning of July, i.e. at the time when 

 the fry are liberated from between the shells of the parent 

 oysters. The tiles (or boards) have previously been covered 



