The Plymouth Democrat., 1869-09-16
Gathering Oysters.

The mode of gathering the marketable
oyster may not be generally understood
by consumers, who seldom trouble them
selves about such matters, SO long as the
edible suits their palate; but for the ben
eft of those desirous of information, Il
brief description will, no doubt, be inter-
esting. Seed oysters are generally OBJ
tanned by the Shrewsbury men in the
James river, and near CherrystOne Inlet,
Virginia, and a portion are sometimes pro-
cured from the inlets and bays on the
Sound. These seedlings are very small in
size, ranging from that of new penny
piece to that of the old copper cent The
price of seed oysters ranges from so cents
to 81 per bushel, when delivered at the
beds, and they are then sOwn broadcast
over the depleted beds of the previous
season. Once planted, the new beds are
marked off by long stakes, whose tops
gently undulate in the current of the
stream for full three years, the oysters
they guard not being disturbed during
that time, except by some accidental oc-
currence. After three years quiet growth,
the oyster-beds are prOspected about the
latter part of August, and an idea gained
as to the probable yield. If the result is
a good one, and the oysters prove to be
alive and well, raking is commenced in
September, and continued until the ice in
the river stops business and closes the
season. An oyster rake, or tongs, is a
singular instrument in appearance, but ex
ceedingly effective for the purpose it is in
tended for. Imagine two long ash sticks
linked together by a strong rivet some fif
teen inches from the lower ends, armed
with stout cross piece of steel properly
braced with iron rods. The inner sides oil
these cross pieces bear formidable row
of steel teeth, each row working inside
the other. The oyster raker on arriving
at the bed takes up a favorable position
and at once commences operations by
plunging his tOngs into the bed, taking
care that the jaws are open. On feeling
bottom he with peculiar rocking motion
of his body and boat takes firm hold of the
accumulated oysters, and on getting Il full
load hauls up the rake and dumps the con
tents into the punt. Each rake brings up
nearly bushel of oysters, mud, and waste
shells, and as soon as the boat is laden the
raker pulls in shore. He then selects q
favorable location on the beach and shOyels
the mass out of the boat in thick layer
on the shore, usually taking care that tn,
incoming tide has access to it for the pur
pose of washing the mud out. The pro
cess of wedding is rapidly gone through
with, and the oysters are deXterousl,
culled out of the mass, all superabundan
shells and refuse cleaned off, and the mark
/ ctable oysters sorted into different baskets
This accomplished, the yield is counte,
and washed in the river, the oysters beine
subsequently placed in barrels for trans
portation to market. Toward the end O
the season the raking is continually car
ried on, in anticipation of the appearance
of ice, and the culled oysters are thel
dumped in the water near shore as re
serve for the regular fall supply. Sucl
is the oyster trade The busines
is hazardous one, and require
considerable capital. Some of til
beds in this river are valued at SIS
600 or $4,000 each, and the smaller one
seldom fall below 81 900. The oysterme
have two or three boats each, and ar
necessarily watermen in every sense of tn
word.-'Shrersbury Cor. ". Y. Times