The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-12-16
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OYSTERS.
The Yield Of ,he Jsr,er Wn,sr..

The Yield Of the Jersey Waters.
The Elizabeth Journal says: Few Of
our readers have any idea Of the
quantity OF oysters consumed In Eliza.
beth and vicinity, or where they come
from. The oysters which are now turn.
ished dealers are what are called the
hard shells" which are first taken from
Newark Bay, Staten Island Sound, and
the water In this vicinity. They are
caught by fishermen who follow the bust.
ness, some twenty or thirty Of whom can
be seen every day during the season with.
In speaking distance Of the port. These
oyStermen are able to take from ten 10
fifteen bushels day, according as they
are in "luck, or are dilligent at the busI.
ness. They sell these "seed" for sixty
cents bushel. The young oysters are
taken TO Princes Bay and planted. In
two years time these seed oysters are fit
to be taken from their beds and sold
Mr. Winans has from twelve to twenty.
vessels OF various kinds engaged oil the
time In transporting oysters to this
city. They are taken around town
every day and furnished to the retail
dealers, as tha demands Of the season or
the occasion may require. Besides furn-
ishing this city and vicinity, he sends
from two to three hundred thousand oys-
tiers up the Central road; they are drop
ped at all the way stations this side Of
Easton. Beyond that place they go to
Slatington, Bethlehem, Lebanoal, Allen
town, and so on 10 Harrisburg tor the
Pennsylvania legislators. II Is said the
hard shell which are caught in our waters
make the best and handsomest oysters
anywhere 10 be found; they are not only
smoother but fuller than any oyster that
grows. The Princes Bay oyster, which
can be easily told by an old faster from
the place where 1t Is caught. In reply TO
our inquiry we were told that the Sound
and Bay are full ot those seed oysters; the
supply is fully equal to the demand, not
witEstanding the draught made by the
large yearly increase Of population.
One Of the greatest enemies of the oys.
ter Is the star fish, which sometimes settle
in schools over their beds and destroy
hundreds OF bushels. One man recently
lost 10000 worth Of oysters from this
cause. The beds are watched by men
who guard them, and as soon as
school" Of this kind of fish show them.
selves they are "tonged" up by boat loads
and destroyed. The star fish first smoth.
ers the oyster and then devours him.
The drum fish Is almost as great an en-.
emy. Next to the supply from Princes
Bay tho greatest is that from York River,
Va. As soon as cold weather sets 10
severely, the supply comes from the latter
place, the oystermen being unable to stand
the fatigue necessary to be endured in
taking them from Princes Bay. Our
people have eaten nearly all they will get
this season from the latter place. Here.
after. il the weather continues cold, the
Virginia oyster will supply the market.
When the old joker pronounced the oys.
ter the best vegetable that grows, he ut.
tered the sentiment OF the epicurean If
not that Of Professor Hawkins. People
who live along the Atlantic coast do not
know how much the inlanders, who sci.
dom If ever are afforded an opportunity
OF tasting them, prize them.