The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-26
Oysecrs-Thc Spring Trade.

i lie NC" iltNc L ctttutUW IL ICSl)DllSloft
for the following melange of facts concerning
there are who eat Fair Haven oysters, and
who think they all come from the little creek
or river whose banks arc covered so thckly
with oystcr-shops, and whose waters are so
vcXcd with innumerablc tongs. As gene
lrll thing, people outside Of the business
know but little of the quantities Of oysters
brought tip from Virginia, or of what is
done with them after they get here.
"Early in the spring the oystermen start
for Virginia to obEtn oysters for planting.
The cargoes, when they arrive in this port,
are spread or planted in the harbor, along
the shore, i'll both shallow and deep water.
IN this way provision is made for thc'stlm-
mcr and fall market, and the oysters while
becoming domeSticated assume, to some eX-
tent, the superior flavor of the native. Afler
they have lain for some time in the harbor
they arc taken up and carried in sharpicS q
kind Of boat, by the way, Of Fair Haven in
vcntion) up the river, where they are dc.
posted, to be taken up again when they are
wanted. AS soon as the weather will permit
in the fall. generally in November, cargoes
begin to arrive from Virginia, which supply
the winter market. This transportation is
kept up, if possible, during the winter, until
the season Of planting in tue spring.
1.-The past winter has been a very dis
couragins one for oystermcD. The troubles
began last November, when the first five car
goes from Virginia were ruined OH the pas
sage, owing 10 the warmth of the weather
and delays Occasioned by head winds. Since
that time communication with the South las
been considerably interrupted, some OF the
vessels having been frozen in at this port,
and others outside being unable to proceed
to their destination. On this account many
dealers have been obliged TO order oysters
from Baltimore, delivered here daily by the
steamboat company, and last week, when
their home stock was exhausted and the 3,ar-
ket bare, these Baltimore orders were very
considerable, amounting to from $4,000 to
$1,000 gallons. But in this Baltimore ven
ture they were again very unfortunate, for
the oysters received were not of the best
quality, ut least when they were delivered to
customers, and for this reason the rest of the
season is materially injured. Since last
week, however, SIX cargoeS have arrived in
good condition, amounting in the aggregate
(! to 10000 bushels. So good has been the de-
mand that now these are all gone. Several
more cargocs arc expected Monday.
"Some idea of the extent of the trade in
Fair Haven, even during SO unfavorabe a
season as the last, may be gathered from the
fact that eighty carSocs have been received d
from Virginia this season. Forty different
vessels were engaged i'll the business, some
of them going two or three times. and one
having made FIVE trips. These eighty car
goes consisted of from $500 TO COCO bushels
each. Twenty-Five or thirty cargoes have
been received from Fire Island and Ecs
Harbor, averaging from 600 to 500 bushels
each, and preceded the Virginia trade. A
number OF small cirgoes have also been re-
ceived from Norwalk, though not SO many
bushels as from Fire Island.
1.-The planting season has now begun, and
the first vessel has departed for this purpose.
About 250, 900 bushels arc planted annually
The &c, 1000 bushels received the past week
cost about $4,000, and had it not been for the
result of the Baltimore venture of the week
before these would have been exhausted in
Two or three days. Since the busy season
last fail the trade has fallen off about one
half. although the sales during the last week
were nearly equivalent to the receipts from
Baltimore, yet an estimate founded upon
these receipts would be very unfair one,
for the following reason: When The dealers
are unable to supply their customers from
their own stock, or from cargoes shipped
rom Virginia, they are very unwilling 10 hi
the orders they receive, and, lnueed, some o'
them cease to DO so; consequently, IN.
1900 gallons received from Baltimore las'
week probably represent less than one,
quarter of what their ordinary sales Wouio
have been had they been able to I'LL theu
orders from Virginia"