386 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
ELEVAGE. 
The young oysters, as they are separated, are at once removed to ponds outside 
or inside of the dikes. Sometimes, if the bottom is suitably hard, they are scattered 
broadcast over foreshore areas. Sometimes they are for a month or more arranged in 
two-trayed cases of wire gauze (PI. lxxxii, Fig. 1)* in cement and brick tidal inclos- 
ures until the thin shells have become hard enough to permit transfer to the oyster - 
grounds.t Although the oysters may be and are grown within the inclosures, each 
culturist has usually plats of ground located at favorable points in the Schelde basin, 
where a hard bottom, continual current, and suitable water depth permit planting to be 
carried on exactly as in the Long Island waters of New York State. In these 
localities the proprietor dredges his oysters, often shells his land during the spawning 
season in a way quite American, and sometimes secures in this way a quantity of spat.f 
The value of shelling as a collecting method is, however, regarded as secondary, 
the improvement of the ground being of the first importance. The shells are found 
to become rapidly silt-covered and un suited as collectors. Some proprietors (as Mr. 
Ochtmann, at Goes) have such extensive plantations of this character that dredging by 
steam has been found necessary. An example of such a dredging vessel is figured. 
(PI. lxxxiy, Fig. 1.) Oysters on this deep-water ground (rarely more than 12 feet) 
remain exactly as with us, growing rapidly, struggling with their enemies, and doubt- 
less contributing their spawn to the general fertility of the Schelde waters. 
The above outline of the cultural processes in Zeeland may be concluded with the 
following notes : 
(1) In regard to expensive character of production : The industry is alone rendered 
possible by the price attained by Dutch oysters throughout central Europe, espe- 
cially central Germany, where every town has an agency of a well-known culturist 
who supplies oysters from the Schelde or Ostend (i. e., English "? oysters). One of 
the most influential culturists, Baron Groeninx van Zoelan, to whose kindness the 
writer is greatly indebted, has stated that during the processes of collecting each tile 
is handled no less than twenty-one times. The total annual expense per tile (including 
breakage, chaulage , transportation, shifting, reloading, detroquage, arrangement, etc.) 
amounts, however, to not more than 4£ cents. Second-year oysters are said to 
have little market in Holland. The total cost to the culturist of a three to four year 
old oyster can not, the writer estimates, be much less than 3 cents, i. e ., including 
packing and transportation to railroad station. 
So great an amount of capital must be invested in a cultural establishment that 
the industry has naturally fallen into the hands of companies or of wealthy and ener- 
getic proprietors, among whom nothing but keen competition, especially as to the 
* The use of these cases is not popular in Zeeland. Their cost is great, and the more rapid growth 
that they foster is, it is claimed, not sufficient to make their use profitable in a locality so little dis- 
turbed by sediment deposits or invasions of enemies as the Schelde. 
t The young oysters are often passed through sieves and separated roughly into their grades, 
which are then usually to be planted in different localities. 
t H. Ochtmann, of Goes, one of the largest culturists of the East Schelde, is greatly interested in 
the question of the productivity of a well-shelled bottom. During the present season he has prepared 
more than 20 hectares in this way, but at the time of the writer’s visit the result, though still doubtful, 
was decidedly favorable to the tile system. 
