384 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
PRODUCTION. 
To obtain seed oysters is tbe most important as well as the most troublesome task 
of the Dutch culturist. He must first lease a favorable plot in the outer and deeper 
portion of the East Schelde, a rather difficult and hazardous task at the best. A 
locality which this year may have been very favorable, may the next year diminish 
in value, and a third year be worthless. A plot let in 1870 for 40 cents brought at 
auction in 1885 over $1,000, while on the other hand a plot which in 1877 sold for $200 
brought two years later less than one-thirtieth of that price. These extreme cases 
indicate clearly the direct influence of slight changes of current on the disposition of 
the oyster fry. It is admitted that the best localities for collecting are those where a 
strong incoming current is broken into eddies by opposing currents deflected by banks 
or headlands. At such a point a saucer-like depression of the bottom is regarded as 
the veritable gold mine of its proprietor ; here the tiles appear to be kept clean by 
the circling current and are usually found crusted with the depositing spat. After a 
suitable ground has been obtained the second task of the culturist is to prepare his 
collectors. For this purpose, following the lead of the French culturist, he has found 
no better device than the roofing tile. 
The Dutch tile is stout, square, and heavy, mounted with pegs, so that when put 
on edge side by side (see PI, lxxx, Fig. 1) the faces do not come in contact. These are 
usually purchased from Belgium, and cost when delivered in the Schelde about $4.25 
a thousand.* The length of time for which a tile is serviceable, i. e., before becoming 
brittle and broken, is about eight years. The process of coating the tile with chalk 
(chaulage), to render the young oyster readily detachable, is usually performed by con- 
tract on the property of the culturist, the liming mixture differing little in ingredients 
from the formula in use at Arcachon, i. e., three parts sand, one part quicklime, mixed 
with sea water until creamlike in consistency. After the tiles have been dipped in 
this lime bath and arranged in banks to become dry, the entire margins of the Schelde 
may be seen outlined, as if Avith massive snow banks, which shortly melt away as 
cargo after cargo is carried off to the collecting- grounds (PI. lxxix, Fig. 1). About 
16,000,000 tiles are sent out from the neighborhood of Bergen-op-Zoom for distribution 
on the lower parts of the river. 
The process of transferring the tiles to the grounds is as follows: A small rail- 
road conveys the loaded hand cars (PI. lxxix, Fig. 2) to the fishing vessels engaged 
by contract for the needs of the season ($10 per week with two men). The vessels 
when laden proceed seaward to their grounds at high tide, the cargo is hastily cast 
overboard, and the boat returns; meanwhile, as the tide descends, women proceed to 
the grounds from the shore and hastily arrange the tiles side by side in fringing rows 
(PI. lxxx, Fig. l).t These processes continue for about two weeks during the middle 
*A group of about a dozen superimposed tiles hung together by means of a galvanized wire 
(bouquet) is supplied by contract, and is employed by several culturists for collection in deeper 
water. The bouquets are secured by a connecting cable of steel wire. 
t Mr. Ochtmann has obtained favorable sets upon tiles banked in rows in the marginal tidal 
Enclosures. This appears, however, to be exceptional. The rising flood which is allowed to fill the 
inclosure and be retained is held to be richest in fry. 
