Smyrna times., 1867-09-04

! CHESAPEAKE BAY OYSTERS.-A letter from
| Falrheaven, which is part of the city OF New
! Haven, Connecticut, says that about One-quar
! ter OF the Oysters taken from Chesapeake Bay
are carried to that city, two more quarters to
! Baltimore, and the rest divided between Bos-
ton and New York. About I,0OO,0O0 are
"shucked" at Fairhaven. besides the millions
carried there in kegs. The letter adds:
"Epicures will be grieved to learn that fears
are entertained of short supply in the season
just opening While the war continued the
eastern shore Of Chesapeake bay was raked
bare The western shore is now accessible
where the Rappahannock, York and other riv-
ers discharge; but oysters III that part have
grown wild - (rank) from remaining undis-
turbed so long, Sutfocatlng each other in large
masses. Moreover, labor is scarce, and the
owners exclude intruders SO far as possible with
jealous vigilance.
The method pursued by the Fairhaven oys
? termen Is to plant about 300, 900 bushels in the
spring in some chosen spot i'll New Haven har
Dor, favored with quick tides and a goOG
: bottom of muddy sand. Under this treatmen
an oyster that spawns this season will be large
II enough year hence to make count" oys
u ter, which is considered "a remarkable growth
IS nowhere surpassed. The oysters thus trans
q q ferred from Southern waters rapidly imprOv
u in size and flavor, and form a sort of deposi
relied upon TO supply current demands unit
: after the holidays.
d Five months are generally allowed for tn
r oyster to become acclimated. The creature
then removed to the clear waters of the QuiU
- npac river, where twcnty-tour hours prOba
'T ton are allowed for the removal OF impurities
~ after which it Immediately passes under tn
III knife. This latter instrument, with the acc
- panying hammer is welded by women Uf a
II sizes and ages, arranged at regular distance
as besides long tables-trom thirty to fifty of the
os &c under single roof, and Of course make liv
Ha oa ly clatter.
ne Some of these women becomes exceeding
~ expert, opening as many as one hundred quar-
~ NJ per day, at three and half cents per quar-
uu but forty quarts is good days work. Fai
n haven boasts of about twenty large oySt
no firms. Each of these last year did a busine
II amounting to $4,000 or $l00,000. For Il
m mol single item of packages, such as kegs and Can
CO some firms pay $4,000 per annum. In Ike
~ a great improvement has taken place the nC
'en pattern known.as the =" seamless keg," bei
!ng turned by machinery for single block Of viii
;e :ea birch, at q cost of only eight cents.
M lo0 The new oyster season, the first that h
% We fairly opened since the close of the war, begi
'eu quite lively, with brisk demand from all pa
of the country, and fleet of about THU
schooners will soon be engaged in the busn
of of transportation. These vessels are nearly
he owned by the oystermen, and are employ
from the middle of October until the mid
of May. Heavy losses are Occasioned both
,ing heat and cold. Should vessel from Che
ria. peake Bay drift into the Gulf. Stream, VIII
eIo the temperature generally runs high, the ca
ha' is quickly destroyed Prices remain as
year, 81 so to 81 per gallon.