In the past oysters were raised in much the same way as dirt farmersraised tomatoes - by transplanting them. First, farmersselected the oyster bed, cleared the bottom of old shells and other debris,then scattered clean shells about. Next, they plantedfertilized oyster eggs, which within two or three weeks hatched intolarvae. The larvae drifted until they attached themselves to the cleanshells on the bottom. There they remained and in time grew into babyoysters called seed or spat. The spat grew larger by drawing in seawater fromwhich they derived microscopic particles of food. Before long,farmers gathered the baby oysters, transplanted them in other waters to speed up their growth, then transplanted them once more intoanother body of water to fatten them up.

　　Until recently the supply of wild oysters and thosecrudely farmed were more than enough to satisfy peoples needs.But todaythe delectable seafood is no longer available in abundance. The problem has become so serious that some oyster beds have vanished entirely.

　　Fortunately, as far back as the early 1900s marinebiologists realized that if new measures were not taken, oysters would become extinct or at best a luxury food. So they set up well-equipped hatcheries and went to work. But they did not have theproper equipment or the skill to handle the eggs. They did not know when, what,and how to feed the larvae. And they knew little about the predators thatattack and eat baby oysters by the millions. They failed, but they doggedlykept at it. Finally, in the 1940s a significant breakthrough was made.

　　The marine biologists discovered that by raising the temperature ofthe water, they could induce oysters to spawn not only in the summerbut also in the fall, winter, and spring. Later they developed a technique forfeeding the larvae and rearing them to spat. Going still further, theysucceeded in breeding new strains that were resistant to diseases, grew fasterand larger, and flourished in water of different salinities andtemperatures. In addition, the cultivated oysters tasted better!

　　全文翻譯：飼養(yǎng)牡蠣

　　過去人們飼養(yǎng)牡蠣的方式很大程度上類似于田地里的農(nóng)夫種植蕃茄--通過移植來飼養(yǎng) 它們。首先，農(nóng)夫選好牡蠣苗床，清除底部的舊殼和其它雜物，然后四處撒播干凈的殼。 接 著，他們栽種已受精的牡蠣卵。 這些卵在 2～3 周內(nèi)會孵化成幼貝。 幼貝一直漂流直到 粘在苗床底部干凈的殼上為止。 它們會呆在那兒并逐漸長成小牡蠣。 我們稱之為種子或貝苗。 貝苗吸進海水中的微小生物作為食物從而越長越大。不久之后，農(nóng)夫?qū)⑦@些小牡蠣收 集起來，把它們移種進其他的水域加快其生長，然后再次將它們移種進另外的水域以使其肥 壯起來。 直到最近，野生的以及人工飼養(yǎng)的牡蠣完全能夠滿足人們的需要。

　　但是今天這種 可口的海味已不再大量存在。這個問題已經(jīng)變得如此嚴重以至于一些牡蠣苗床已完全消失。 幸運的是，早在 20 世紀初期海洋生物學家們就意識到如果不采取新的措施，牡蠣將會滅絕 或至少會變?yōu)橐环N奢侈的食品。 因此他們建造了裝備良好的孵卵場所并開始工作。但是他 們尚沒有適當?shù)难b置或技術來處理牡蠣卵。他們不知道何時、用什么以及如何喂養(yǎng)幼貝。他 們對捕食數(shù)百萬幼小牡蠣的動物天敵也所知無幾。

　　他們失敗了，但他們頑強地堅持了下來。 終于，在 20 世紀40 年代，一個重要的突破性的進展產(chǎn)生了。 海洋生物學家發(fā)現(xiàn)，升高水 溫能夠誘導牡蠣不僅在夏季也在秋季、冬季和春季里產(chǎn)卵。 后來他們發(fā)展了一項技術來喂 養(yǎng)幼貝至其長成貝苗。 他們進一步成功地培養(yǎng)出了新的品種，可以抵抗疾病、長得更快、更大并且在不同的鹽度和溫度的水中都能茁壯生長。 此外，這些培殖出的牡蠣口感更佳!

　　In the past oysters were raised in much the same way as dirt farmersraised tomatoes - by transplanting them. First, farmersselected the oyster bed, cleared the bottom of old shells and other debris,then scattered clean shells about. Next, they plantedfertilized oyster eggs, which within two or three weeks hatched intolarvae. The larvae drifted until they attached themselves to the cleanshells on the bottom. There they remained and in time grew into babyoysters called seed or spat. The spat grew larger by drawing in seawater fromwhich they derived microscopic particles of food. Before long,farmers gathered the baby oysters, transplanted them in other waters to speed up their growth, then transplanted them once more intoanother body of water to fatten them up.

　　Until recently the supply of wild oysters and thosecrudely farmed were more than enough to satisfy peoples needs.But todaythe delectable seafood is no longer available in abundance. The problem has become so serious that some oyster beds have vanished entirely.

　　Fortunately, as far back as the early 1900s marinebiologists realized that if new measures were not taken, oysters would become extinct or at best a luxury food. So they set up well-equipped hatcheries and went to work. But they did not have theproper equipment or the skill to handle the eggs. They did not know when, what,and how to feed the larvae. And they knew little about the predators thatattack and eat baby oysters by the millions. They failed, but they doggedlykept at it. Finally, in the 1940s a significant breakthrough was made.

　　The marine biologists discovered that by raising the temperature ofthe water, they could induce oysters to spawn not only in the summerbut also in the fall, winter, and spring. Later they developed a technique forfeeding the larvae and rearing them to spat. Going still further, theysucceeded in breeding new strains that were resistant to diseases, grew fasterand larger, and flourished in water of different salinities andtemperatures. In addition, the cultivated oysters tasted better!

　　全文翻譯：飼養(yǎng)牡蠣

　　過去人們飼養(yǎng)牡蠣的方式很大程度上類似于田地里的農(nóng)夫種植蕃茄--通過移植來飼養(yǎng) 它們。首先，農(nóng)夫選好牡蠣苗床，清除底部的舊殼和其它雜物，然后四處撒播干凈的殼。 接 著，他們栽種已受精的牡蠣卵。 這些卵在 2～3 周內(nèi)會孵化成幼貝。 幼貝一直漂流直到 粘在苗床底部干凈的殼上為止。 它們會呆在那兒并逐漸長成小牡蠣。 我們稱之為種子或貝苗。 貝苗吸進海水中的微小生物作為食物從而越長越大。不久之后，農(nóng)夫?qū)⑦@些小牡蠣收 集起來，把它們移種進其他的水域加快其生長，然后再次將它們移種進另外的水域以使其肥 壯起來。 直到最近，野生的以及人工飼養(yǎng)的牡蠣完全能夠滿足人們的需要。

　　但是今天這種 可口的海味已不再大量存在。這個問題已經(jīng)變得如此嚴重以至于一些牡蠣苗床已完全消失。 幸運的是，早在 20 世紀初期海洋生物學家們就意識到如果不采取新的措施，牡蠣將會滅絕 或至少會變?yōu)橐环N奢侈的食品。 因此他們建造了裝備良好的孵卵場所并開始工作。但是他 們尚沒有適當?shù)难b置或技術來處理牡蠣卵。他們不知道何時、用什么以及如何喂養(yǎng)幼貝。他 們對捕食數(shù)百萬幼小牡蠣的動物天敵也所知無幾。

　　他們失敗了，但他們頑強地堅持了下來。 終于，在 20 世紀40 年代，一個重要的突破性的進展產(chǎn)生了。 海洋生物學家發(fā)現(xiàn)，升高水 溫能夠誘導牡蠣不僅在夏季也在秋季、冬季和春季里產(chǎn)卵。 后來他們發(fā)展了一項技術來喂 養(yǎng)幼貝至其長成貝苗。 他們進一步成功地培養(yǎng)出了新的品種，可以抵抗疾病、長得更快、更大并且在不同的鹽度和溫度的水中都能茁壯生長。 此外，這些培殖出的牡蠣口感更佳!