New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-02
FRENCH OYSTERS.
From 71eS,. James's Ga-ette.

TUcuty-onc differ Mt places are now named IN
the Commercial Directory Of Franco where the
oyster industry is pursued on large scale, ana the
Latest Official statistics lIf>O snow thaJ upward u
lo5 600 600 oysters are annually sent TO market.
The great objects of the grower or breeder OF the
oyster are, frat TO eaten ITS young est Oh WhIh
would otherwise perish when caught, TO transfer
them TO Il favorable place; and there 10 protect
them from their natural enemies Whilc they grOw
to marketable size Ills starting point IS therefore
fine LAYING down OF the mature oyster 10 produce
s,at .. and for this purpose spot must be chosen
c,hrre fine sea-wacr holds mud in solution for the
food of the oyster. There must not be too much
n'n6 or The oysters will be smOthered and die.
Thus current Is necessary to sweep the ben OF The
park so that although 1t brings mud. 1t may also
prevent II from set ling TO any great extent mat
It should be Il tidal culcnt Is also Indispensable as
at the proper season tho oyster prefers TO EJECT ITS
spat each tide when the inward flow las com
menced: and the current must not be 700 Violent.
or IL will carry away all the Young. Portions OF
tidal estuaries between tho lines OF the neap and
the spring low tides have been found 10 answer best
to all these require ments. Here tie rivecwater
brings the mad ana debris necessary for 10. Il; ami
the sea- water gives the salts which contribute To
the shells. In such positions the parks arr meow.
cred only at the lowest ebb ~ the spring tides; ma
the vorllmen can then do what Is required in eX-
aiming or cleaning the bottom and laying down the
old fixing tho apparatus for collecting the Young
oysters. These " collector" were long dliiculty
and, after endless experiments. the c0lnm0nest
arcled house tiles, covered with wlitewaSh ana
fixed IN horizontal lunches with wlIe on Stakes
a ont n yard long, wooden framewOrkS called
" hives are pronounced to be the most successtul
OF all! Ten millions Of these tiles now said To
be in Use in the 4,25O tidal parks OF Arcachon,
formed on those grassy margins oil It's basin whch
are called crGsSdtS.
The Young oyster with its embryonic shells and
tho machinery OF nars which keep 1t stirring III the
water drifts about with tho tide until IL meets
with surface proper for attachment Inc theS
having been found to tempt them better than any
thing the lime coating was added to render uetach-
nent of tho small shells easy af.erward III serves
another purpose too in assisting rapidly 10 produce
thosC protecting Shells Dine-enths of which consist
nnfl nnp A
appears, the young oyster, if al goes well may BIO
perceived affixed to the tiles and looking ike tlEy
yellowish stains As many as 700 have been
counted on one very exceptional tile at Arcachon-
very small proportion. however, OF the one or two
millions which each mother oyster Is said to pro.
duce. The apparatus of hairs soon atrophles and
the young fry in a few weeks reach tho size OF %
lenti or q small split-pea Growth IS thencetorward
rapii enough, chiefly in the summer and on the
River Ter, IN tine Morbihan. they measure three
quarters of inch at eight months old. and an
inch and three-quarters year after being spawned.
Inc next operation of the grower Is TO transplant
the young oysters. They are taken of dexterously
byl women with touch Of flexible knife; but