The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-11-21
Oysters.
THE OYSTER TRADE OF NEW YORK.

The Brooklyn Eagle says the oyster
trade of New York and Brooklyn has
assumed, in the past ten years, very
important place on the list of our in.
dustries, especially as the interior of the
country has been opened by railroads, and
the delicious member of the family of
crustace finds its way to distant Omaha
and the far West. Thirty years ago
oysters were unknown in the northern
part of this State, but now that beauties
OF Buffalo and their admirers can sit GOWN
to festive supper of fresh saddle. rock on
the half shell. The rapid iutercommunica
ton with inland cities, which had been
developed in the last quarter of a century,
has given great impulse expectation, and
statistics from reliable sources show that
many millions of dollors worth of oysters
are yearly sent from this port alone. For
| instance, the average retail trade per
week of Fulton Market requires 250, 600
oysters, and one establishment is called
upon to supply from 1000 to 1900 Gus
toners daily. The wholesale department
packs and exports 100000 weekly, and
gives employment to large number of
men.
The yearly returns from the home mar
ket amounts to 81 900, 900 per annum, and
from other localities to about 81 900 900.
The trade gives employment to $500 men
in New York city, and to 200 in Brooklyn
There are $50 oyster saloons 10 the
metropolis, aud 100 in the City of
Churches. On the North and East rivers
about so seows are employed receiving
oysters from the vessels arriving from the
various bays, aud from these boats about
100000 oysters are daily shipped through
out the country. Five hundred sailing
vessels are employed in this vicinity,
which number includes everything be-
tween sail boat to schooner of $50
tons. An army corps of 5000 men are
engaged in planting and bringing to mar
ket, who earn on an average from So to
81 per day. In fact, it may be safely
estimated that about 10, 900 men, directly
or indirectly marking living in the
oyster trad OF the two cities. Many of the
wealthiest Knickerbocker families were
oystermen and of the present day many
bluff, rugged looking man engaged in this
business has bank account that more
preteutious people, living in a brown
stone hous. might well envy. The
localities where the natives are raised
are South Bay, Princess Bay. East river,
and about 20 harbors through the Sound.
The Summer oysters. with which the
general public is not familiar, is imported
from the beds in the York and James
rivers, Virginia, in the Winter, and plant
ed mostly in Princess Bay, few miles
distant from the city. Transplanied from
their native waters, these Southern oysters.
when placed here, become clear of spawn
from the change, which makes them a
wholesome edible during the Summer
months This change, however, could
not be effected with the native that is, by
removing it from one portion of the
vicinity to another, but the same trans
formation takes place by planting New
York oysters in Southern waters.
The Saddle Rock is at present the prime
favorite with the public and the origin Of
the name is as follows Thirty years ago
bed was found in the East river at a
place known as Saddle Rock, and the
bivalves which grew about this rock were
natural growth oysters, and were found
to be superior to anything in the East
river. The oysters were named after the
rock An old negro named Henry Scott
first brought them to Fulton Market, but
for many years the beds have become
extinct, and now all large oysters are call
ed Saddle Rocks. When the indigenous
oyster gave out, foreign bivalves were
planted 10 the old beds, but the products
| have never been so fine as those of the
natural growth. The peculiarity is a thin,
| fine shell, with luscious favored body.
The largest specimens from the East
river measure six inches but the ordinary
average is from three to four inches The
qualities are varied and consequently the
prices range from 81 to $40 per hundred,
and at one establishment a famous kind
of extraordinary delicious flavor and large
size sold for dollar apiece.
The Blue Point oyster which has
maintained for half a century a high re.
putation for fine sweet meat, is mostly Of
native growth aud has rich saline favor.
On account of its delicacy it is mostly
used raw, and au order for "balf dozen
Blue Points on the halfshell," shows the
customer to be judge of art of good lv
ing. This species is raised mostly at the
Great South Bay. and is the ''Knicker-
booker" of oysters. 1t was esteemed in
colonial days, and held the sceptre until
the Saddle Rock came to market. Twenty
years ago Blue Points were large oyster,
but the great demand within the past
twenty years has prevented their attain
ing to a full growth, and the bed has, 10
a measure, deteriorated. Those most
esteemed are from two to two and half
inches in size, and cost 500 to 81. so per
busbel
The Rockaway is planted principally
In the Snnth Bay and In several places