6 
4. The first thing necessary in oyster culture is io secure the spat. It must bo emitted in warm 
weather, and liaTO some hard substance to adhere to, or it^Yill be irrevocably lost. The Eoyal Commisflion 
(Ireland, 1870) say in their Eeport: “ The great object of oyster culuire is to secure the spat.’ And with 
respect to the grants or licenses of the Board of Public Works (in ■whom the management of the Irish bea 
Fisheries was vested up to the year 1860), they say, “most of them must be regarded as total failures as 
far as the production of oysters—the greatest object of all—is concerned. In many instances the oysters 
laid down have fattened, and the grants Lave thus proved advantageous to the grantee, but this is a 
matter of small moment in comparison with the main object— increased production'^ 
5. The climate of Is cw South Wales appears to bo as superior to that of England in respect to 
the production and preservation of spat as it is for the production of the orange or the grape. In illustra¬ 
tion of this we quote from evidence given last year before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, 
and also from evidence given before this Commission. 
Mr. George Bal'er, a member of the Whitstable Oyster Company, examined by the said Select 
Committee of the House of Commons:—He attributes the scarcity of oysters to there being a scarcity of 
spat for a number of years. The largest fall of spat ho Las ever known were in those years which were 
extraordinarily hot. He believes that warm weather and still water are the most necessary conditions for 
a successful spat. He attributes the small fall of spat chiefly to the cold summers. . 
Mr. G. Harvey, oyster merchant, examined by the Committee:—Ho agrees with the former evidence, 
that a warm season is undoubtedly required to obtain a successful spat. 
Mr. IT. S. Goody, solicitor and clerk to the Colchester Oyster Fishery examined by the said Com- 
mittec:—For about twelve years there Lad been very little spat in the Colne. The failure was attributable 
to unfavourable seasons. If they had had hot weather, a sudden cold disappointed all their hope of spat. 
Mr. J. Wiseman, examined by the said Committee:—He has cultivated oysters about twenty-five 
years, and his family have cultivated oysters in that district for about 300 years. Ho attributes the 
scarcity of oysters entirely to the unfavourable spawning seasons for the last ten or twelve years. He is of 
opinion that it is entirely attributable to the want of a high temperature. He lias noticed for the last 
twelve years that the hotter the summer the greater the spat, aud the colder the summer the less the 
spat. 
Mr. H. BoIIey, fisherman, examined by the said Committee : —He said it is only favourable sum¬ 
mers that will increasG the supply of oysters, and we have not had that lately •, heavy gales of wind during 
spawning time arc quite as detrimental as frosty nights. 
Mr. Frederick Wiseman, examined by the Committee:—He attributes the present scarcity of 
oysters to the want of spat during the last seven or eight years, ^^^hich is to ho ascribed to the low temperature 
of tho water and strong winds during the spatting season. lie says : It is simply temperature—tempera¬ 
ture—temperature ; -we cannot fight against Providence ; ho should like to have an oyster bed in a locality 
where as high a temperature as 81* degrees is attained ; ho will stake his own existence that the scarcity 
of oysters may be attributed to the continuous bad seasons we have had. 
Mr. William Burt, oyster merchant, examined by the Committee:—He attributes tho cause of tho 
decrease of oysters to tho want of warm ■weather during the spatting months. 
Mr. Blake, Inspector of Irish Fisheries, examined by the Committee:—The French system of oyster 
culture is in many respects a great success, but they have -wdiat we have not, a climate favourable to it; 
give us the French climate and the proper temperature, and at tho right time, and you will see very 
astonishing results. 
Mr. F. Buckland, examined by tho said Committee;—You have to give oysters warmth (heat if 
you like) and quietness. For many years there was no fall of spat in the west of England, and in ISGi 
Mr. Wiseman and I considered tho matter, and wo saw that it was absolutely necessary to consult Nature; 
I went to tho Isle of Ee to examine what I could see there. What was the first thing wo saw there ? 
We saw vines ; wo looked dawn from tho vines on to the oyster beds. There arc no vineyards in Essex. 
The same temperature which makes tbo vines grow makcs’tLo oysters spat; you have turnips, not vines, 
in England, and this is tho principal reason why the French have succeeded. 
Mr. Frank Buckland, in a letter to tho Times, dated 22ad August (187G), says : “The causo of 
tbo scarcity of oysters, of late years, is without doubt attributable to tho want of a fall of spat. ♦ • • 
If tho lambs die, where are the sheep to come from ? So, if the infant oysters die, there -will be no fivo 
and six year old oysters to pack in barrels at Christmas time ; if at tho time of their birth the water is 
cold and tho weather boisterous, they die ; if the weather is warm and tranquil they live. * * * Heat 
and 
