The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-07
$500 rr,,rc ,1cuMOND Va SUNDAY FE'KUAKF Io9~

and painstaking investigations maui sn ny v
perts. as well rs by offering Je'
agements to the owners OF Deus ..,;sc;a, c,Iti-
The method suggested was artnnoia, oa -.
walton, and have every evidence 10 NAM g.. ~
show that the results have been his ny
able and gratifying TO oil conceIneu.. ,,~ol;s,
The oyster il one Of the most plo..no
breeders known to natural history. Leuwen-
hook calculated that from 3,0yO 70 1'u.o lPaei
exist in the ordinary biyai'e az D.eeu :,
ing time Poll declares that single OYSTER Nst :.
capable Of producing 1.2OOUOj esss' - IL,
scientists have placed the numUoi ~ n's
as 2. 900, 900. but. admitting Polls estimate -
be the correct one. II would seem that the
supply of these favored daintles "oIiu ."
lerst approximately meet the demanu. lo'
such is not tho case. for when the parent eA-
pels its young. which have been pre'lous'a
Matched within the shell. many are cair.eu
away by the current 20 unsuitable SITUATIONS,
where they either die or are devoured Dy
fish. Those Immediately finding an oDJec' W
which they can attach themselves thrive.
Oysters thrive equally well IN situations
where they are constantly under water anu anu
IN those which are left dry IT low toe; Inc
methods OF providing artificial peus aIo
varied in accordance with the nature OF tn9
bottom, and the probable violence OF VIM
and wave. Experience in France mas proNedi
that tiles covered with cement and iInlnefseu
along the beach afford the most advantageous
means Of catching these sbellfsh. lhese Oh
iects present a surface % which the nOtiu9 i
can best attach itself. and from which IL cal
be afterwards readily detached by, the nsheIs
man. Then. again, these portaole ollS ~
brick and mortar can easily be ni0.eu y,
transferred from place 10 place. ms -
matter not TO be ignored. for 1t IS fouhd ~
the cultivator that after having caught INC
oyster OF after having found suc S,.ss IS
breeding place for tie same the piooe99 -
a.. fffrn D
fattening requires the temperature Va ~
tirey different shOal. r,...o
One OF the most important spots IN rance
where attention is given TO the culture OF ln9
oyster is Arcachon. a little fishing village am
summer resort situated on one OF the gieas
basins or inlets of the Bay of blscay anu no'
great distance from the city OF bordeaux;
The BAY of Arcachon was at one peIivu
crowded. With natural oyster beds; put III
course of time. and owing 20 excessive qIe.ls .
/ inc thew became almost completely exhaust
| ed To-day the industry has again assulIou ~
/ pristine proportions. for tlo DlFalVes hfe .qi-
| tivated artihcially ana hurtuIeu WIN 'N'
! greatest attention and caro-.
/ The entire sea bottom, OF that poTuon OF
! the bay that can with facility be dredgea' Is
| divided into Enclosures by the driving IN OF
stakes. In the inlet of Arcachon over l2,GOO
acres are given over 10 these Enclosures. IN
some instances nets are attached 70 the na-
rne fences for the purpose IF excluding hsh
]
| luscious oyster when in the state OF carry
Development IL IS within these BEDS, or
marks - as they are called, that the ties De-
| fore mentioned are immersed. these NOR
tar-coverej fire-bricks usually have surface
of about two square feet and offer a resting
! place for FIVE or six hundred mollusks. upon
| this object the oyster grows tamOusly; so
/ rapid is its progress in fact that II IS often
! found necessary for the proprietor OF INC
park 10 raise the numerous tiles 70 the sur
/ face in order to scrape OF the Diyaives WhAe
| b. sinks an additional hundred or so OF these
objects that there may be afforded new ana
more commOdlOus home for those WHICH
have leen detached from their trst resting
place.
The dredging. Of course. takes place during
| the season which III Europe. as IN Amellca'
extends over all the months OF The year con-
tanning in their spelling the letter r.
| The French oysters are entirely unlike our
OWL in appearance and flavor, and French
men who visit Washington are most positive
in tie statement that our biyales are inferior
/ in flavor 70 the trans-At antIc specimens. but.
! Of course. our patriotic impulses will Z per
/ nit US 10 entertain this idea for moment.
! The French mOllusk Is OF greenlsh unge'
and the shells are not 50 deep as those OF the
Chesapeake, Blue Point, Shrewsbury OF
| ROckaway They are always eaten raw, ana
| served on the half shea.
Ii is an interesting fact that the French
| never cook the oyster. nor can they under-
| stand how il IS possible 10 eat them IN lnaI
| state which statement IS al the more odd'
when the wide reputation for the excellence
| of French cuisine and the variety OF tAelf
dishes is considered.
In the communications with Consul
Knowles he manifests some surprise That the
supply of oysters IN this country IS not luily
equal to the demand, and he expresses MIN
self as being fully confident that the yield OF
a.. A laIl
increased were our oystermen to avail them
selves Of the French system. lie expressed
some doubts as 20 the method OF fencing II
beds Offering IN this country the same ad
vantage that it does in France, where. as
previously stated. it is IN vogue, inasnucl
as il is possible that the fish which lnhaOl'
our waters are not 50 destructive as the spe
cies found of the coast of France. some OF
which extract the oyster by boring com
pletely through the shell.
The anatomy of the oyster is so wonderfully
and dexterOusly contriN ed. and 80 delicate
withal. that 1t Is not difficult 10 compre
bend" as a writer in Scribners Magazine cor
rectly saws how cultivation and care MAJ
not only improve its outward appearance anC
augment its lines of beauty. but how thel
also cause the quality of Its meat 70 SUR as
that OF the natural OF uncultlyated oyster a
much as granted poultry surpasses the pro
duet OF the barn-yard"
| II tho depleted Oy ster industry OF ArcachOl
and other seacOnst towns of France could b
reiuvenated by the method of artificial cul
tiyation mentioned. there seems TO be no rea
son why. with an equal degree of energy an
intelligence, like satisfactory results canno
be obtained in our own impoverished waters
Are not the French methods worth the mos
careful examination on the part Of the oyster
men on the South Atlantic seabOard
EDWARD A. OLDHAM
Washington, ID. G.