The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-17

Tn Oysrss fnABs or NEW Yonx.-ns sysew
tad Of New York has attained magnitude hotls
drssusd Of BY The uninitisssd. The opening q
speedy esmmunisaaion with Ill parts Of the North
and West has tended greatly to increase the trase.
The citizens Of Cincinnati ere now treated to fresh
oysters Gin the half shssp from Princes Bay, in
forty eight hours altar being taken from the water.
We have taken some pains to examine into ms
probable extent of this trade. especially 30 far -
this city is concerned. We nnd that large quan-
tity Of oysters are cultivated in the seaxatsr bays
s6jsesnt to New York. From these bays many
oysters used in the market take their names The
most celebrated locality is Princes Bay, on the
south side of Staten Island, and extending between
Anbcy and Keyport. In selecting bottom suita-
BILE for oyster planting culture, it il necessary 10
find rather hard soil, mixed with sand and loan.
II the oysters are planted in . soft mud bottom,
they sink in II from their own weight and ere
mothsrsd. In cases where the planter wishes 10
improve tho soil he throws overheard oJ ster Shells
On which to plant his oysters, and on which they
grow remarkably well. He must also select por-
ton Of water neither too deep nor too shallow, be-
cause, in it ID too shallow they freeze to death
in winter. and If too deep they cannot be taken up
They must, also, be out Of tho way Of strong cur
rents and shifting sands
The usual plan p to lease oyster ground from .
farmer who owns the land on shore. The usual
size Of oyster plantation is from nfty to one hun
dred feet along shore, and running back to deep
water, varying, according to circumstances, from
tvohm, bred feet to one quarter or half Of a mile
The farmer, for the small sums paid orleases, is
peeted to exercise sort Of police the plapta-
tions in front Of him, and prevent parties rem tres
passing In Princes Bay the oyster plantations
amount to several hundred. TIE investments
in many of these oyster falds amount to -
much - from $4,000 to $4,000 each.
There are other oyster plantations at Shrews-
bury Bay, near the sea, between Sandy Hook and
Barnsgat. From this place the oysters are mostly
brought to the city on steamboats,.
The Mill Ponds, a. they are called, near keyport,
are fsvorite localities for oyster planting These
are tide-wster inlets into which some fresh water
flows, and across which dams, with mills driven
by the force Of the tide water. The waste of the
mills made by grinding grain, 1t Is thought, tends
to fatten the oysters Hence, with city epcurss
Mill Pond oysters have high reputation both tor
aize aGd flavor. Mill Pond oysters are also grown
near Coney Island, some of which are produced Of
very large size.
Again, the market is supplied with East River
oysters, the shells Of which are green. They are
inferior in size to Mill Ponds, but their favor BY
many, is preferred to that of other kinds. The
Shrewsbury oysters, Of selected quality, are also
said to be very fine. The East River planting
grounds are found above Hurlgate.
The plantations are stocked in the spring. The
oysters brought in sloops and schooners from the
Chesapeake bay and its branches or tributaries, in
Virginia quantities being taken from
beds York, Back and other rivers On arriving at
the plantations, near the city, they thrown over
board, at tho nurseries, and left undisturbei unit.
some time in August, being occasionally fed by hav-
ing meal, properly prepared, thrown over to them.
From these nurseries oysters are taken for the city
trade through the autumn, until operations are in
terrupted by cold and stormy weather. The oyster
farmers, nurserymen, then import them direct in
schooners and sloops from Virginia, during tho 70
nainder Of the season. Some Of the more enter
prizng dealers have established oyster plantations
in the salt rivers of Virginia, in which, it il said
they have been very successful. 1t Is said
that there are over i've hundred sloops, schoon-
ers, &c, engaged 10 the oyster trade, vary
ing in size from ten to two hundred tons. The
average number of men attached to them varies
from Ave to six each. When We consider the great
number connected with the trade, on both land and
water, and the large amount ofcapitsl employed, il
will be that the business is one of considerable
importance, and by which numbers are not only
making handsome livings but fortunes. The
trade is every year increasing with the increase Of
population, and with the demand in the interior by
the opening Of railroads, So.
It is difficult to arrive ut the amount Of capital
invested in oyster operations BY water; but it 10
believed that it is not much under two millions Of
dollars, and have considered it ~ high ~ two
and half to three millions, employing from 5000
to 1000 persons Parties who deal in oysters
on shore are very numerous, and some individuals
carry on very large and extensive operations
This they do by opening and picking them for
expectation. Be ore shipment they are usually
secured in tight kegs dramatically sealed vessels
and forwarded to the interior and also to California,
and other parts Of the world. Oae firm in Wash
ipgton market docs business to the amount Of
$4,000 per annum. Considerable quantities OF
oysters are also put up in Now Haven, where
women employed in opening them, which they
are ,aid to do with On experiences and rapidity
greatly superior to that Of men. " They sit down,
with the oysters in front, and as sson as the top
shell s removed it is east In the rear, over their
heads, and before it has scarcely had time to
strike the floor the bottom shell follows. Large
oyster establishments, for bet domestic use aad
export, exist in Baltimore.
The trade, however, in connection with New
York, Is conducted on . scale, and to an amount,
far in advance Of all othsr parts OF the continent.
And every year, probably, its valse and Importance
viii be increased.
What should we do without oysters!
MORE HAYTIKN DOCUMENTS ,-Wo publish this
morning another batch of the official correspon.
dence appertainng to the late triple alliance Of Eng
land, France, and the United States, against the
coal black Emperor soulouque, of Hayti, and an
invasion Of conquest which he had projected Of the
Dominican republic Our present ins.aiment Of this
precious correspondence will be found to be particu-
larly interesting from the official inside view which