These artificial Mussel beds are termed 'bouchots.' The fishermen who engage in this branch of industry are known as 'boucholeurs.' 'The little Mussels,' continues M. Quatrefage, 'that appear in the spring are known as _seeds_. They are scarcely larger than lentils, till towards the end of May, but at this time they rapidly increase, and in July they attain the size of a haricot bean. They then take the name of _renouvelains_, and are fit for transplanting. For this purpose they are detached from those _bouchots_, which are situated at the lowest tide mark, and are then introduced into the pockets or bags made of old nets, which are placed upon the fences that are not quite so far advanced into the sea. The young Mussels spread themselves all round the pockets, fixing themselves by means of those filaments which naturalists designate by the name of byssus. In proportion as they grow and become crowded together within the pockets, they are cleared out and distributed over other poles lying somewhat nearer to the shore, whilst the full-grown Mussels which are fit for sale are planted on the _bouchots_ nearest the shore. It is from this part of the Mussel bed that the fishermen reap their harvest, and every day enormous quantities of freshly gathered Mussels are transported in carts or on the backs of horses to La Rochelle and other places, from whence they are sent as far as Tours, Limoges, and Bordeaux.... The following data, which were collected by M. D. Orbigny more than twenty years ago, will show how important this branch of industry must be to the district in which it is cultivated. In 1834 the three communes of Esnandes, Charron, and Marsilly, representing a population of 3000 souls, possessed 340 _bouchots_, the original cost of which was valued by M. D. Orbigny at 696,660 francs; the annual expenses of maintaining them amounted to 386,240 francs, including the interest of the capital employed, and the cost of labour, which, however, is spared to the proprietor who works on his own account. The nett revenue is estimated at 364 francs for each _bouchot_, or 123,760 francs for the three communes. Finally, the expense of the carts, horses, and boats, employed in transporting the Mussels, then amounted annually to 510,000 francs; but these numbers are far from representing the expenses or profits at the present day. At the time M. D. Orbigny lived at Esnandes, the _bouchots_ were only arranged in four rows; now however, there are _no less than seven rows, and some of them measure more than 1000 yards from the base to the summit_. The whole of these _bouchots_, which were at first limited to the immediate neighbourhood of the three villages, of which I have already spoken, extend at the present day uninterruptedly from Marsilly far beyond Charron, and _form a gigantic stockade for two miles and a half in breadth, and six miles in length_.'