894 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



swimming about, before becoming fixed, it is said that if any- 

 .hing alarm them they seek refuge again within the maternal 

 .hell. Such prolific production would soon stock the whole 

 sea, were it not for the fact that the young are feeble swim- 

 mers, and that millions of them are annually swept away and 

 lost by the current, or fall a prey to the numerous animals 

 which feed upon them. 



The favorite place for the oyster is on the shore, in water 

 not, very deep and free from currents; here they they are very 

 prolific. The idea of breeding them is as old as the Romans, 

 and to-day the planting of oyster beds, and fishing from them 



FAGGOTS SUSPENDED TO RECEIVE OYSTER SPAT. 



gives occupation to thousands. Some of the oyster beds of 

 France which were nearly exhausted twenty years ago have 

 been made again very productive by attention and care. The 

 plan of suspending faggots upon which the spawn should ad- 

 here, has been found very successful. From the Bay of St. 

 Biiouco two faggots, taken up at random, were found to contain 

 about 20,000 young oysters, ranging in size from one to three 

 inches in diameter. Their exhibition excited astonishment ; 

 they looked like leafy branches, each leaf being a living oyster. 



In the island of Re oyster farming is in full operation. It 

 is calculated that the beds contain 600 oysters to the square 

 yard, th§ majority of marketable condition, making a total of 

 $78,000,000 in these beds alone. In the United States, the 



