The New York herald., 1869-12-26


city, Deimoniro anu his brand Charging more ethe-
real mces:-
Cents Cents
Saddle Rock roast. -. 80 Shrewsbury stews. =. 80
Saddle ROCK Try 80 bostOn stew. 80
saddle ROCK sleWed.. A. Box stew. ............ 80
Saddle ROCK iaW..... SO Stewed oysters 20
Roast In the SHELL 40 Raw oysters. ........ 20
Roast Oh toast. 40 Roast CLANS. 80
Roast Oh hot dish. 80 Fried clans. ...... 80
Panned oysters. 80 Stewed clans. ........ 20
Fried oysters so Raw ciams. .......... 20
Rroled oysters. 80 Clam cnowder... -. Is
FINANCES
The average receipts Of the 1000 oyster saloons Of
TINS city win be fully up To thirty dollars per day
cach As the oyster season lasts about nine months
III tine year the daily income OF this BUSINESS, Of
S2l0oO0 day, becomes, for tue full period OF 270
2I0 days, 500 s0o, 000-an enormous sum- yet below,
rather t.lan above, the accurate figures. In these
statistics IL should be remembered that oysters for
private consumption, oysters for hotels aud restau
rants not embraced, but only the trade OF those
places whose exclusive business IL The retail disp0-
stion VI CO oked dishes and 'raws." Then there Is
the immense wholesale trade-tAe trade or the sub-
urs and vi Brook SO Sat &l00 900 Is not too
high figure To place upon the vast business which
IN rev years mas grown up about the City. For one
to understand now really extensive that trade has
become ne must visit the river fronts, oil the up
iowa business avenues and the centres OF business
down town. Now the trade Is at It's zenith. At no
time in the season are the sales so large the oysters
so good, or the people VINO eat them SO numerous
IN 0rder to place the subject lntcigibly before the
reader We viii describe the
ANATOMY OF THE OYSTER
The oyster Is what u known tO science o. O ma
i1ne acephalous moilusk Of the lamellibranchiate
oraer of the genus Ostrca Tho shells nre mequl-
%sn 1s aua G
groove l0r the llganlent along the adhering valve
me animal ls the simplest known TO nature He
mas no feet, but his iObes are widely separated be-
ing united only near the hinge Tie respiration IL
carried on with the vascular gills, which make .
curious and interesting feature In their singular con-
struction The oysseris destitute OF jaws and tecth
ana " unable 20 iced upon any res,stve substance
selecting @ the d%s Tss '0f sssne x
short with few convolutions; the venticle
OF the heart lies upon the rectum. one
nd
with the species Is, whether or not they
can be divided into the sexes 1t has been stouty
hermaphrodites, but later developments seem to
favor the idea that they follow the same rule that
10 Siebold the female oyster largely preponderates-
social ey IN the oyster family that has counter
part IN the human FAMILY just now. These ANIMALS
have tine sense OF sight, gilt Which they when
O SHADOW OF q boat approaches Oysters have no
powers Of iocomotion whatever, ana move only IN
respiration, ana wnen eXcrement. sperm or ova are
expelled by the sudden closing or tile valves and the
contraction OF the mantle. OF the oyster
anai scale snch y. tho 20 ,,, e y & ow ~ sne
we DO eat, enjoy ana digest hin.
The eggs of the oyster are expelled In q white,
greasy vscd iuld, which rises 10 the surface when
IL leaves the nuuit. These essential termed
spats. After snort time tncy are held in solution
by the water and soon Ind Judgement in the bed
OF the bay. 10 whatever submarine bodies they ad-
here they commence the important measure OF de-
veopelneDt, which follows the natural law OF III
crease concerning every spark OF progressive VI
tally. Tne fccundatOn arises through the medium
OF water, which conveys the sperm to The ova As
oysters now breed tne question OF multiplication Ia
Involved IN great many conditions, chef among
them being tldes the degree OF sadness OF the water
aud the character Of the SOIL.
AS oysters grow on All natural beds Just as they
fostered by nature, the law prohibits their dis-
lurbance in these localities during three months
beginning iii May anu ending III August Thls ~
the PERIOD OF spawning ana the popular error that
oysters are not good during thls time, serves the
purpose 10 produce cessation In the public de-
lnand. In artificial beds, however, the oysterman
can do as ne plcases When wishing to raise o crop
OF oysters he he wise, to have an ac-
tarlty with their anatomy. In considering the action
OF tides care 10 observed to take the oysters from the
beds when the water ia running out. This is
done because the fresh water from the rivers
at the mouths OF which beds are generally stu
portunity 70 drink ana this important operation
conduces to his obesity. property that il valued
oyster is lean and unhealthy, hence the precauuon
stated. In planning, the reverse rule is followed
and the breeders are put IN at high water The Oys-
ter once being In his lodging place In the bed, never
moves unless agtated fr0m the surface the oys-
terman takes pains to do this 50 that ne may drink
and grow fat When oysters live in medium highly
saturated with salt they often removed and tner
nabby condition necessitates their immersion In
fresh water, when rounds their outlines gives tnem
delicious flavor and completes the circuit OF their
development. II Will be understood from these facts
that the oyster trade Is largely Influenced by the
weather, and that ftS perfectlon Is realized III the
highest possible degree. The different phases Of the
moon arc the oysterman's guide
1t has been commended that rocky bottoms are Che
best for oyster beds. Such has not been verified in
say that soft, sandy loan OF the same nature AZ
that found in the East river IL the most fruitful.
Wien planting oysters have been put down tour
stakes mark the outlines OF the beds. IL has been
found In transplantlng them that they must return
TO soil almost similar TO that upon which they were
originally bred in natural beds. or there is an ex
ceedtng mortality. In their bedding nothing is more
apparent than the nicely and exact fidelity with
which the whole subject Is embraced in the grand
UrOuaHlt0Q of npi.
NAL life. The value OF experience Is apparent and
according as the FISHERMAN IL familiar or not with
the details OF his business Ia like degree Will be the
measure OF his success.
In general II 900 bushels are planted and only one
els IN from four to five years. An oyster bed Is not
OF Itself very attractive, but the activity Ia going on
under fun saii in stlif breeze With heavy rake
attached are dredging the oysters nom the bottom
and sometimes IA many az twenty sloops arc at
work on a ginge area. These operations are only
taken TO transfer them 10 other beds which In we'll
regulated system always eDures TO their delicious
navor and increased size. At the end OF six months
the young oyster is no larger than small sized egg
and double mis- size IN year, and natures al the
age Of seven years.
oYsrERs-NEw YORK sIzR
The following table represents the six kinds OF
oysters IN order OF size, the relative quantity or
each KIND and their respective Dimensions as IN
vogue In New York
Demand IN Proportion
Name. Sze 10 Whoia
Bushels...... The very smallest. 49,. One half.
nallss' San inches inches b 6y 'onesxsn; one sixth
EAtras.. 3 inches by 3Isl
Double Extras..6 inches by ! ........ netweifth.
Three Extras. ~ inches by J
The sizes gwen represent tne figures only in the
average, and IRON these oysters vary great deal;
and II often happens that giant will measure u
loot Ia length II by no means follows that size liz
an index 10 flavor. Those who eat Tor Juices anu
navor can be satisfied with Boxes or Extras well
w by the larger kinds; but those who 10 In FOR the
meat prefer tue larger ones with all their disgusting
deposits ste ws made almost entirely from CuI.
ings IN shops situated IN lac lower quarters OF the
city, and some even employ Bushels. Al Fulton
Marketa place so justly famed for the best oysters
In tho UnionBoxes and the higher grades alone are
used Tnis s.the rule that obtains ut j. ID. Merrttts
and other well known places OF the kind. Places
caring for reputation ignore Bushels and Cuttings
entirely, and deal only with the upper circles OF tae
oyster community.
NAMES OF OYSTERs-THErR COMMERCE..
Along the thicklf indented coast OF the Atlantic
nnoa Ann ho thA rtcha hoxs~