Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-12-02
OYSTER Dredging.

\ very large proportion of oyster eat
crs have at best but an indefinite idea OF
he way IN which these interesting biyaives
re iished OF, OF the deep, to supply their
aalates and satisfy their appetites. Some
nay imagine they are picked off the rocks,
like the lrishman's gold dollars from the
streets: others that they are the mysteri-
Gus product OF the restaurants, obtained
~ merely knocking apart their shell;
while many have some indefinite notion
of process o. planting oysters IN the mud,
III shallow water, TO be procured, when
wanted, 10y dexterous manipulauons OF
rakes or tongs, like potatoes from hill
This latter mode of catching oysters Is
the one most common III Northern waters
the oysters having first been brought
from the South, and - bedded' here; as
j. is thought that, by this transportation,
they are much improved in favor.
There are, however, some varieties of
the native oyster that are held III the high
est esteem by epicures-being OF extraor-
binary size and superior flavor; and as
these are TO be found only In deep water,
rendering the process OF catching them
quite laborious, their market value IS
mucil enhanced. OF native oysters the
East Rivers are most IN fayor-the
market prices for W ich range from 81 80
to s. per hundred. These are caught by
9 dredging
During the autumn months the atten-
ton of travellers Oh Long Island Sound Is
invariably attracted by the large fleets of
sailing craft that never fail TO meet the
eve when the wind is fair, lacking hlther
and thither, and stretching away on either
side, so far as the limits of vision extend.
Frequently, upwards Of one hundred may
be counted al once, under canvas, and
presenting beautiful appearance. Of
these many are coastng vessels, which
NAV always be seen dotting the blue wa
tiers of the Sound but the greater num-
Der are fishing-smacks, dredging for oys-
tiers. Such fleets are encountered at IN
tervals, all the way from Frogs Neck to
Whitestone and Norwalk, which points
embrace the fishing ground for " East
Rivers"
The dredge" is sor, of drag-net,
made of the strongest materials, and hold
ing about two bushels. This Is lowered
10 the bottom, and lowed after the vessel
by a stout rope, varying from SIX 10 twenty
FIVE fathoms IN length, according 10 the
depth of the water. Frequently, as many
as half a dozen dredges are employed at
once-each one being hauled in every ten
minutes, and emptied of its contents of
oysters, mud and stones which it NAV
have scooped up while dragging Oh the
bottom. The process is slow and labori-
Gus, as hauling IN so great weight, with
the vessel sailing under three or six knot
breeze, is no slight task, and not less
than four or FIVE days constant labor are
required to complete a full load. 1t is
customary for the smacks, to start out on
Monday and deliver their cargoes at mar
ket on Friday or Saturday, though shorter
trips are sometimes made. On the best
grounds one hundred bushels per diem
are taken; but the average yield is far
less.
This mode OF catching oysters is also
practiced on the waters off the Chesapeake
whence are taken the greater part Of the
oysters brought to the North to be planted,
thousands OF cargoes of which are shipp-
ed h.ther every year, \. Y. Journal
OF Commences.