Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-16
of Baltimore. The session then adjourn
ed to 2 p. M.
About Oysters.

About Oysters.
l. Now, that the well-regulated Sunday
morning breakfast-table is graced with
a dish of smoking oysters, and the BIZ
valve fast fairly closed, it may be inter-
esting to learn something of the article
| in question. And first, the enjoyment
of all people of culture will be greatly
increased by knowing that oysters have
| been highly esteemed as an article of
| food since times of the Greeks. and Ro-
mans. Eschylus and Euripides, Alex
ander and the brave Leonidas, were in
the habit of giving private suppers of
the choice edible to their chosen friends;
and the great Diogenes, not satisfied
with the supply of the merchants, pro-
| cured new tub, and went out to seek
for himself. Among the Romans, Sal
lust was an inveterate oyster-eater, and
Creusa quite neglected the little julius in
her attempt to crafty Kneas Unsuitable
desire for hot oyster stews. These state
ments may seem faneiful, but, in view
of the fact mentioned at the beginning,
of course they are not.
Some one, who has recently finished
the perusal of the cyclopedia says that
there have been 200 species of oysters
from the time of the Ammonites to the
present period, which it is difficult to
believe, as the Ammonites were exter-
minated in the time of Moses. The Vir-
ginia, Northern and pearl oysters are
mentioned as the most valuable, by this
cyclopedia man, but Caves and Norwalks
are rather in advance of them. In Chi
nese seas, a variety is found so transpar-
ent that the natives use them for win
dow glass, but with us they are too
large for that purpose, and not sutfi-
GENTLY attenuated.
About forty-fiye vessels are employed
at Boston to bring in the supply of oys-
tiers for that city, and cargoes of 5000
and 900 bushels are brought at each
trip. An attempt has been made to
estimate the amount required for Spring
field. but it proved fruitless, on account
of man up on the Hill, whose demand
increased from week to week at such a
fearful rate that no approximate num-
bers could be obtained. There are nat
tural oyster beds in Providence river, at
Wareham, Somerset, and few on the
Connecticut coast Many years ago
there was fine supply in Charles river,
at Cambridge, but they have long since
osene and gas works, it is said-but, re-
membering that Cambridge is a univer-
sity town. there might be two opinions
as to the cause of the disappearance.
Artificial beds are much more numerous
and large quantities are transplanted
yearly, and with great success. When
transplanted they require no watering,
though moist soil is preferable, and
Irixy xrhnn nnfirplU
molested. They cannot be trained to
take any form but their natural one, and
any attempt to make them Irvine about
ladders or climb on lattice-work will
cause them to wilt.
The oyster, as an article of diet, is
said to furnish brain food, but is not
easy to arrive at the philosophical reason
of that fact, since it not only has no
brains of its own, but not even recep-
tacle for brains, as most headless people
have. AS to the manner of preparing
them for use, there are divers opinions
They're stewed, and steamed and seal
Hoped,
Roasted, frittered, fried and Boiled;
They're picked, pied and pattied,
souped and sanced, and griiied and
And each dish has its admirers. The
scalloped variety is both pretty and pal
atable, but there is danger in indulging
too freely, even in this comparatively
harmless luxury. 1t sometimes brings
on a species of intOxication, whose vic
tim will look at nothing but his fayOrite
edible A good old deacon once fell a
victim to it. In vain was he reprimand-
ed, urged and coaxed by his good broth
ers. Nothing could satisfy his longings
but the cheerful oyster. There came a
time, however, when remonstranees
were more pressing than usual, and he
felt bound to renounee his idol, hard as
it might be, and at a meeting that night,
Solemn]y confessed his weakness and
promised thereafter / will never touch
another bivalve" Then the remem-
brance of the last nights stew overcame
him, and he added, ',Eery few, If any,
0 Lord. Amen ...e.. III. .
In conclusion, 1t is sad TO know that
the increased demand for oysters lessons
the supply, as is. sometimes the case IN.
other things, and oyster men are anxi-
ously wondering what they will do when
it ceases entirely. The prospect is not
favorable for the next ten years, and it
would be wise to avoid the great ihdul-
gence in what may soon be no longer
Ol,taiDablR ... E. ....... .. 81. q. .