New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-08
The Oyster.

Ihe oyster
we are indebted to the Rev. Samue
lockwood, Pin D.. for very learned ano
exhaustive paper upon this most popular o.
shell fishes. or as the reverend writer calls
her. 'sthe Queen of the Bivalves." Cnlm
portant as the oyster may appear IN the
scale of animate being, il has yet litera
ture old az the days of imperial Rome
ABOUT 2iOO years ago one Sergius Orata, a
man of practical mind, turned Lake Aver
nus into an oyster bed. and through his cul
ture of this b;valve the Lucrin oysters, az
they were called. became the Saddle
Rocks of Rome. So great was his reputa
ton tina. the Romans said that he could
make the oysters grow on the tops OF
the houses. Avernus is today but a
miserable hole OF volcanic mud, and
Sergius is no more. Near Baiae and
Cumn is the Neapolitan Lake Fusaro, the
classic Acheron. 1t is about three leagues
round, and six feet deep. Its bed is black
volcanic slime, yet from time immemorial
this has been an oyster park, or plantation,
where tho oyster seed is grown. Heaps OF
stone are placed in the lake, with circle
of piles round each heap At the proper
time these fagots are pulled up, and the
seed plucked off by hand. Formerly France
possessed large oyster beds, but through
want of cultivation the natives came nearly
being exterminated. Under the direction,
however, Of ProfessO. Coste, oyster plant
ing became Juror in France. In two years
1900 capitalists, with similar number Of
fisherman, occupied . surface Of 9SS acres.
Twelve miles of sea coast was planted, with
1900 parks in operation, and thousands
more projected. In France scrupulOus pro-
vision is made for outstanding the fry; in
America no effort is made in this direction,
our practice being simply this: In the
spring sloops and echooners go South
to procure the seed, which is obtained
chiefly in the Rappahannock, the Nanti-
coke. and a few other places. Oysters OF a
moderate size are often brought North and
laid down for season, that they may in
crease in size and acquire the Northern
flavor. The better kinds Of Southern-the
Lynn Haven Bays, Sandy Points, Cherry
stones. York Rivers. etc.-are sent to Balti.
more. Washington, Philadelphia. and some
TO New York. New Jersey. New York and
Connecticut are the favorite planting
grounds. When the vessels arrive the
oysters are scattered, the lower side gen
orally falling right side up. The seed is al.
lowed to lie from ono TO two years. Early
in the fall the work OF taking up the crop
begins. The process is called longing, and
the instruments used are called oyster
tvngs. Working over the side Of the boat
the Oysterma0 and his mate take up the
first harvest. The dredge is then used. A
great iron bag or dredge is cast into the
water and dragged along the bottom. Both
longing and dredging require broad-chested
men. with sturdy hands and arms. The
oysters are then taken little way up a
creek or stream 'to get drink" after
which the mollusks are taken up with large
forks. the workmen standing in the stream
wearing high rubber boots. The next pro-
cess consists in ''cu!ling." that is, asserting
into the sizes known in the trade. The
smallest are called ''culls." and are sold by
the bushe!. They are Used in saloons for
''stews' and for domestic use. The others,
known as counts" are served up as
''t,ies." and sold by the hundred. After
the harvest is finished the grounds are
turned over to the laborers. who 20 over
them again with tongs and dredge. They
work on shares. giving half to the owners.
and realizing often handsome profit.
1t is generally conceded that the Northern
oyster is superior TO the Southern. OYSTER.
men used to speak of the two genuses as
Chesapeakes and York bays. There are,
however. variety o: local names. Ostrea
borea!is is the species of the Northern Oys.
tor; Ostrea VIrginiana OF the Southern. The
European oyster IS called ostrea edulis. Of
the northern article there are MANY yarie.
ties-the keyport, City Island. Guilford.
Blue Point. Rockaway. Saddle Rock,
Shrewsbury, etc. The Blue Poin. was for
fifty years the ''knickerbocker" among
oysters. but it had eventually to Weld 20
the splendid Saddle Rock. The name is
still given to very large oysters. the original
variety being. however, no longer in exis.
fence. Saddle Rock were first brought to
+ nlton Market. New York. by an old negro
named Henry Scott. The original oyster
was no: large. but possessed a peculiar.
delicious flavor. and took its name from the
place Of its discovery.
On the farm OF David Alien, situated az
The head of Grea: Neck, on the eastern
shore of Little Neeks Bay, stands the rock.
.wenty feet high and from fifteen to twenty
eet in diameter. The shape of the rock re-.
'embies saddle. In the autumn Of 1872.
strong east wind blew for three DAYS. a
7ecy low tide occurred. and a bed of oysters
TODD revealed. The news of the discoverv
spread. and boat loads soon found their way
% the city. where they commanded fancy
PRICES. even reaching $40 a hundred. At
present the favOr!te native is the Shrews.
Jury. obtained in the Shrewsbury river.
rom seed procured from Tappan BAY. The
will fetch from 81 so to So 50
! hundred. The summer oyster is bronoht
rom the York and James rivers. Virginia.
Dragon. or as it used to be called Fair
iaven. was formerly the place where ovs.
ers were put UP in kegs for Northern and
" es1ern use. Latteriy the business has
'One TO Baltimore. In October the SHINING
ommences to Europe and California. In
hlpplng to st. Louis. Cincinnati and other
'laces. in cold weather. oysters are placed !
Kegs, protected By gunny bags. In sum.
ner the kegs are placed ia larger yessels
NO 1ne space filled up with ice and saw
usl. thirty years ago oysters were an |
Unknown luxury IN the northern part of !
'ew ork. Now many million of dollars'4
,orth are sent from the port of New York |
tono. Ahe average retail trade per week
! uison Marke: requires $50, 900 oysters,
no one establishment is called upon to /
uupply from !ooo to 1900 customers daily.
ne yearly returns from the home market I
mount to 100000 per annum. and from
ther localities to abou. 100000. The I
raoe gives employment to about $500 in !
lew aork city and to 900 in BROOKLYN
mere are 80 oyster saloons in tho mefroI,.
lis and 100 in the City OF Churches. T;1p.
undred sailing vessels are emploved ~
ais vicinity; corps of 1000 men ia enua col
planting and bringing to market: in fact
may may BE- safely estimated tina, ahon,
~. W.. men MAKE As'ns IN the oy ster trade
Hns'ican oysters arc now being shiooed
Europe by steamer. At first they snd;lea
wing TO want Of air. but being now mt ~,
eafseis, they go NOR. safety. The hrsi.
ess Is destined to assume immense nrono,.
oh', and company has been formed for
.s snipmenc OF oysters TO the London mar.
-. a recent attempt has been made nv
?seph Ellsworth. heavy operator. to ac.
lins;lze the New Jersey oyster in Calitor.
q. ne 'ieighted car Of seed for San
'ahc.sce. AS set the whole matter il an
s ~ DIT great results are expected.
nc BUSINESS 0. the oyster producer is one
ok.eeyport suffered loss in one season 81
'S'VV. Many causes combine 20 destroy