The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1900-03-09
Ihelfmnrra-S Star
FRENCH OYSTERS.
HOW THE BIvALvEs ARE CULTIVATED
IN EUROPE.

lN IL n. |
Consul Albion w. Tourgee, in a re-
cent report TO the State Department,
speaks as follows in regard to oyster
culture in France:
Oysters are a luxury Ia Europe. The
natural beds have been exhausted, as
the American beds are rapidly hecom-
ing, and artificial culture has long
been depended upon for a supply Of
this luscious bivalve. The chief breed
ing ground 10 France Is the Basin
d'Arachon, . triangular tidal bay
about nine miles on each side, entirely
land.locked, and opening out Of the
Collie de Gascoignc (Bay OF Biscay) in
to the Department OF the GirOnde by
a narrow channel about three miles in
length. The coast is sandy and de-
serted. A solid forest of maritime
pines (Pinus pinaster) hand planted
during the pre- 'ent century, has check
ed the inland march Of the sand dunes
and protects the basin from the south
west winds, which blow fifty out of
the f1fty.two weeks OF each year. The
shallow bay is net worked with navi-
gable channels, between which at low
tide rise the half clay, half sand flats
utilized for breeding the ~succulent
mollusk. During the low spring tides
the fats are covered with quantities OF
a cheap variety OF ordinary roofing
tile, which has been previously coated
with a sort ofcOarse whitewaSh. The
spawn brought In by the high.water
catches on these tiles, and the lime Of
the whitewash helps the little mollusk
to form his first shell. Toward winter
these tiles are taken up and carefully
scraped. The oysters, as large now
as ones thumb nail, are spread in flat
covered trays or Baskets Of closely
woven osier to protect them from the
starfish. crabs and other enemies, and
moved nearer the salt marshes on the
east side Of the basin to grow. When
they have become a little accustomed
TO an independent existence they are
placed in trenches a little below water
level, which are provided with sluice
gates, by which they can be flooded at
will.
They are thus preyented.from being
chilled in winter or dried up in sum.
mer, and are easily protected from
enemies, the gates being covered with
wire netting of fine mesh; but the
primary aim Of the gates is To accustom
them to being deprived Of water-that
is, to teach them to keep their valves
tightly closed when out tot it. In about
eighteen months their education in
that respect is complete, and they are
raked up, barreled and sent on a jour
ney of several days to the copper rocks
at Marennes, France, and to Whitsta-
BILE, England, to fatten and to assume
the bilious green tint and brasSy flavor
demanded by European epicures.
About25O. 900, 600 are shipped annually
The work on the beds is done by bare
footed men and women, both clad 10
bright crimson knee breeches and
sweaters, which render the sexes quite
undistinguishable. The regular
trenches and dikcs, kept in place with
spiles interlaced with wattles, look
like a Dutch garden.
To one accustomed to the plump,
clean white and gray American
bivalve, the flabby, yellow or greeni' h
European specimen is not inviting.
The shells are fiat, thin and irregular
and as Shiny and corrugated as an old
barnacle, while the inmates are about
the size and thickness Of a 50-cent
piece for a 5.lnch shell. On the spot
they sell from &c to l0c IA dozen. Else
where they command more, and the
greener the higher prices. Oysters
are never eaten here except on the
half-shell. A suggestion to put them
into soup or patties, to scallop or stew
them, shocks a French chef as a prop
osition to broil a watermelon would a
a Carolina cook. / think a "pan
roast" would be regarded here as little
less than sacrilcge. Even when by
much persistence you have achieved
some form of cooked oyster, the chan
ces are Infinite that the most notice.
able result will be a fit Of hOmeSick-
ness caused by regretful memories Of
the delicious "Blue Points 1" or succu-
lent "Lynn Haven Bays" 1t is to be
hoped that our oyster men will learn
and practice the art Of p%ropagating
and nOurishing the oyster Sc as to
preserve both its superior size and
flavor.