Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-12-02
oy,lep i,u,lne,l Dl me tjhs,npenLe.
moREAsE or smpMnHrs TO EuRoPE-yAnUh OF
OUR OYSTER BRDs

noRRAsK or sHpMENrs TO EuRopE-vAnUH OF
oUR orsrER BEDS.
A Baltimore paper saws: The resources Of the
oyster beds OF our grand bay and its tributaries,
are adding vast stores OF wealth and comfort to
the people bordering thereon. The packing
business employs in addition 10 those in the
large feet Of of boats engaged in the dredging
Of the biyalves, immense numbers of the poor
or classes Of our people nearly all the winter
and doubtless relieves our taxBbles OF heavy
addition to their already onerous burthenr
which would Otherwise be necessary for the
support through the ngors Of winter.
During the past winter q British steamship
made two successful trips from the Chesapeake
to London, loaded exclusively with Baltimore
oysters. So great was the success attending
the undertaking that il is now learned that three
large vessels theirw way to this country from
European ports under charter to take cargoes
CT Baltimore oysters to London. The Southern
States have probably over three thousand miles
of salt water oyster coast around the Chesapeake
Potomac and other rivers inlets, and bays be-
tween Delaware Bay aud the Rio Grande. Few
are aware how much wealth there is in the ocean
close to our shores, and within our reach.
But Baltimore is not alone in the enjoyment
OF the advantages Of this business, for we learn
that the expectation OF oysters from Norfolk to
Europe is resuming increased proportions. The
Journal Of that city, says that two firms in that
business have more orders than they can well
\ carry through 1t appears that our English and
| French friends are 80 fond Of Chesapeake bay
| oysters that they have given standing orders
| for large quantity TO. be shipped forthwith.
One firm is forwarding at the rate OF one thou
| sand two hundred barrels per month, principally
/ to France. Tho other Ia shipping at the rate OF
about one thousand barrels per month to Liver
pool.
AT present they go forward by New York,
4 thence 10 destination by the English or French
line OF steamers, respectively. The Journal
says the business in this line will be Increased
| to q large extent as soon as the weekly line OF
Allan steamers commence to run, and when cold
| er weather will lessen the risk OF loss by decay
The oysters before being barreled are all ouled
the long and crooked oysters being rejected,
and are packed with the flat side downward, so
as to retain lifo The single and oval shaped
fat is that which is especially sought after by
the English and French dealers.
rHE HABITs OF THE oYsTER-How THE BABIES
GROW.
An observer Of the oyster says he is not as
! stupid as he looks. He can keep his mouth shut
and hereby defy all our arts TO vile secret from
him. When spatting time with the oyster
comes, it is said to be sick or milky This ap-
| pearance is due to the accumulation OF the spat,
which is in the earlier stages of its development,
Of a creamy consstence of color. When the
spat is natural, it assumes the appearance OF the
| scraping OF the slate pencil the parent oyster
then opens its shell, and kind OF mstiness is
observable in the surrounding water. This is
| caused by the myriads OF Young oysters scatter
ed in every direction. No sooner are these tiny
creatures free from their mothers, than they as
4 sumo the most active state OF life aud motion,
dancing and gyratiDg up and down in concentrc
columns. as midgets play in the evening sun
| beams. Under the lens of a microscope you will
see how exqusitely these little fellows are fash
ioned.
A pair of tiny shells, the counterpart OF those
Of the mature oyster inclose the yet rudifn mt
AIRY organs, while affixed to the mantel is kind
Of tiny coronet composed OF minute, hair-likt
appendages (cilia). The violent and oeaseless
vibration of these living paddles serves to row
the infant oyster rapidly from the place. Should
it become the destiny of one Of these fragile be-
ings to become a steady, we'll behaved oyster, i
finally settles itself on some suitable resting
place, to which it makes itself fast-no on'
clearly knows how-by the under valve or shell
The bristle-like pores, ella, no longer Of an!
utility, disappear, and now permanent fixture
the baby oyster begins to grow. At about
fortnight old it s not much bigger than fair
sized pins head and al three months that of
T. split pea Having attained years growth un
der favorable conditions the young oyster will
u become as big as an ordinary half-penny Will
at four years growth they are considered mar
| katable