Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-12-07
The Oyster Trade.

A New Haven correspondent of the New
York Journal of Commerce, gives some IN
terestlng facts connected with the oyste
trade. He says that, contrary to the pre-
vailing notion, comparatively small pro
portion of the oysters for which that regior
has considerable reputation, are NATIVES
there, but are brought from Chesapeake
Bay, in immense quantities, in the Spring
when they are planted, to be taken up II
the fall. "The operation Of planting, say
the writer, sis after this fashion: The oy,s
ter vessels upon their arrival from thf
South. are anchored near the site of the pro
posed beds, and their cargoes are removed
by small boats which come along side
The beds are formed by stalking OFT the
ground into small lots, or squares, each o.
which is spread over with about fifty bush
els, so laid that one shall not be on another
By fall, the oysters have considerably IN
creased in size, and greatly improved 10
flavor. If allowed to remain too long IN
the beds, the oyster, not being accllmateo
to northern winters, perishes with cold
and If planted too thick, they smother each
other. Without regard to mutual rights,
each one encroaches upon the peculiar DO
main of his neighbor, gradually enlarglns
his residence in whatever direction pleas
ure may dictate. In this way, when oys'
ters remain long undisturbed, the increase
of numbers involves the destruction OF null
tltudes. Their means of communicating
with the outer world, is closed upon them
by the cementing properties of the newly
formed she'll, and the unfortunate victim is
consigned to starvation"
THIS adopted Southern oyster, says the
Journals correspondent, is sent offin every
dlrection,to all parts of the country. "They
are first opened and put in kegs, or cans,
hich are afterwards packed in boxes con-
tanning ice, of capacity equal to from
twelve to twenty gallons each. The enof-
nous extent of this trade may be inferred,
when it is known that from $50 to 200 yes
sells, mostly schooners, are employed in
conveying oysters to New Hsven-the car
goes consisting of from 1000 to 5000 bush
els. The profits, too, have been highly re-
munerative, where ordinary sagaclty has
been exercised one firm having cleared
during the last four years, ,S75, 900 or $780,
900. Failure in the oysters is scarcely ev-
er known. The business is chiefly engross-
ed by about twenty firms, the largest OF
whom send off from 1 600 to 1900 gallons
of oysters per day. The firm of Levi, Rowe
s. Co., who have one Of the largest estab-
lishments, with branch houses in Buffalo,
Cleveland, Detroit, Hamilton, G. w., SC,
estimate that their business this season, will
amount to 10000 gallons. No less than
t,osnly vessels are employed by them; and
from seventy-fve to one hundred indlvldu-
ais, mostly girls and boys, find constant em-
ployment in taking oysters from the shell,
during six months in the year. These girls
often acquire wonderful dexterity in their
department, the several movements requir-
ed in going through the process being per-
formed with all the regularity and precision
observed in touching the keys OF piano
forte. If set to music, however, the ear
would be grated with succession OF sounds
much like this-click, uge,-splash =
Clck,-souge, splash &c. The first IN
dicates the use Of the hammer in removing
the edges Of the she'll the second, the in.
sertion of the knife the third, the final de-
position of the disemboweled animal in a
tub, prior to packing. The hammer is
thrown down each time it is used but the
knife is always retained in the hand. These
openers receive as compensation two cents
a QUART. and some of them earn So per day,
though 81 is more commonly earned. AS
there are about $50 oyster to the gallon, the
individual who opens 100 quarts, or % gal
Ions per day, necessarily opens three thou
sand seven hundred and fifty oysters during
that time.''