CONTINENTAL OYSTER CULTURE. 363 



cement. This not only preserves the wood, but facilitates the 

 adhesion of the spat. After drying, the collectors are ready 

 for use. 



The operation of collecting begins with the spatting season, 

 that is, towards the end of April, and lasts during May and June, 

 sometimes longer. Some 2000 to 5000 fascines are used by each 

 proprietor. A steso or mooring-rope is taken, and to this 1 10 to 130 

 collectors are tied, about 5 ft. apart. Then another steso is 

 treated, and so on. Every seventh or eighth collector is weighted 

 by a 16 to 20 lb. mooring-stone. All being now ready, the owner 

 chooses the position for his collectors, and begins to lay them 

 down. At Taranto the Mare Grande is selected, and the 

 collectors are deposited there, some distance from the farms. 



When the spatting season draws to a close, the collectors are 

 withdrawn. This takes place generally in July, sometimes in 

 August, and is effected by a boat and grapnel. If the Oysters 

 are found to be few and small, the fascines are replaced. But at 

 the end of August, or at latest half-way through September, the 

 greater number of the collectors are in the farms. As soon as 

 they arrive, they are cast off from the steso and made fast to the 

 stake-ropes near the shore. This is a convenient position for the 

 next operation, which is carried out in the following manner. 

 Boys, generally the proprietor's sons, under the direction of an 

 overseer, cut up the fascines on which are the young Oysters. 

 The boughs are divided into sprigs (zipoli) about 8 in. long, 

 which are put into baskets and carried back to the stakes. In 

 the meantime a number of pieces of rope 12 to 24 ft. long are cut. 

 One of these pieces is taken by a workman, a knot is tied at one 

 end, and near this end the strands are untwisted. An opening is 

 thus made, and into it one or two sprigs are set ; the strands are 

 then released, and the torsion of the rope holds the sprigs tight. 

 Next the strands a little higher up are untwisted, more sprigs are 

 inserted, and so on, until about 18 in. of the rope is left. With 

 this free end the rope and its Oysters is tied on to one of the 

 horizontal ropes (ventie or crociere) in the sciaia, and allowed to 

 hang vertically downwards. Piece after piece of rope is treated 

 thus until the sprigs are exhausted. The horizontal network of 

 ropes attached to the stakes, as already explained, thus becomes 

 laden with vine-like pendants of Oyster-bearing ropes, called 

 pergolari. The length of these pergolari depends on the 



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