Young oysters readily attach themselves to the shells of old ones, and thus, in favor able circumstances, oyster-banks increase rapidly, so as to fill up shallow parts of the sea, and to form walls which effectually resist the waves and tide. This is very remarkably the case on the alluvial shores of Georgia and some other parts of North America, where these banks are called Racoon Ranks, because the racoon, among other animals, visits them to feed upon tire oysters. land extends inwards from 12 to 18 m. from tire sea, with tidal rivers meandering through it, and these rivers are kept pretty constant to their channels by the walls of living oysters on both sides. Large bunches of oysters may even be formed among tire long grass. It is not unusual for the inhabitants of the neighborhood to light is fire and roast a bumph of oysters on tire spot. So abundant are the oysters in many places that a vessel of 100 tons might be loaded within three times her own length. American oysters, which are of excellent flavor, are an important article of commerce in America, and have begun to be imported (alive) into Britain.
Notwithstanding the prodigious fecundity of th•ovster, however, the beds or banks which yield it for the markets of Britain and other countries are not suffi ciently productive to satisfy the demand, and it is not so much an article of ordinary food for all classes as a luxury of the wealthy. The usual mode of taking oysters by dredg ing is destructive, although, for oyster-beds, which are at all states of the tide covered with a considerable depth of water, nothing better has been devised, and the anxiety of fishermen to make the the present opportunity has caused many beds to be almost ruined by over-dredging. But the artificial formation of oyster-beds has been resorted to with great promise of success. It is indeed no novelty, having been practiced by the Romans. Pliny says that "the first person who formed artificial oysier-beds was Sergius ()rata, who established them at Baize This was done by him, not For the gratification of gluttony, but for the sake of gain, as he contrived to make a large income by the exercise of his ingenuity." Sergius Orata lived in the time of Augustus. Arming the roiraria, of later emperors and other wealthy Romans were 'AYt•eir,'2a, specially devoted to oysters; and oyster-culture has never ceased to be practiced hi Italy, although to an inconsiderable extent, and particularly in lake Fusaro, the Acheron of Virgil, a muddy salt-water pond, nowhere more than two yards deep. In Britain it has also long been practiced to some extent, particularly on the coasts of Kent and Essex, for the supply of the London market.
In 1864 an act of parliament was passed giving exclusive rights to a company, called the "Herne bay, Hampton, and Reculver oyster dshing company," over a certain portion of the shore at Herne bay, extending about 6 in. in length by 1 f in breadth. The oyster
beds fished by the public had, till then, yielded a very small supply; and it was urged that this supply could be largely increased by a well-managed company. In order that the public should not be injured by this legislation it was declared by one of the clauses of the act that "if the company fail to maintain and cultivate the beds, or to produce well-fed oysters fit for the public market in such quantities as to be of public advantage, all the privileges conferred on the company'would be withdrawn, and the dredging of the beds, as formerly, thrown open to tire public to fish." In 1860 the board of trade commissioned Mr. Pinwell, inspector of oyster fisheries, to visit the oyster-culture grounds of France, in order to ascertain whether we could gather any usefu. hints therefrom. In his report he explained that the English plan, as con ducted at Herne bay, Reculver, Whitstable. Langston harbor, the Isle of Wight, and other localities, depends on the provision of salt-water tanks or ponds, in which the oysters are kept for a certain time. In France tire system is much more elaborate. lie found that tire coast is parted off into divisions or districts, each of which is placed under a maritime prefect. Each district is divided and subdivided into smaller portions, managed by commissioners, inspectors, syndics, and watchmen. The determination of "close-time," when oyster-fishing is totally prohibited, the decision how much to fish up, and how much to reserve for restocking; the discrimi nation between public oyster-beds and those which are made over to individuals hy "concessions;" the control of the foreshore; the maintenance of r yster-breeding farms; the prevention of poaching by fishers not belonging to tire respective districts—occupy quite an army of officials. Mr. Pinwell recommended the adoption of some matters of detail from the French system, but not an imitation of the, elaborate offieiai ma.chincry.
In 1872 the enhanced price of oysters in France attracted much public attention. Close observers arrived at an opinion that it was due to three causes—the impoverish ment of some of the beds by injudicious a greatly increased dmand for the supply of Germany and Russia; and a private undersfanling between many of the Frencheompauies, leading to something very like a monopoly. The Econombite Fretncitut drew a comparison between various dates, in regard to the number of oysters consumed in Paris, and time price per 100. Considering price alone, we find that it was 1.20 francs per 100 in 1840, 2.83 francs in 1856, 4.58 francs in 1360, 7.20 francs in 1868, and no less than 11.20 francs in 1872. Of course, the price charged to foreign consumers augmented in somewhat the same proportions.