The New York herald., 1874-09-01
THE FIRST OF THE "RS.'
Opening Day Of the Nine Months
Oyster Season.
OYSTERS AND OYsTERMEN.
Where and How the BivalveS
Are Propagated.
ANATOMY OF THE DELICIOUS ANIMAL.

ANhIUMI UF IHE DELlClUCS ANIMAL.
Opening day in the oyster world is day OF
grave Importance. 1t concerns everybody. To
the thousands OF people who make living by sup.
plying the bivalves to hungry New YORK it Is day
OF vast concern. They have been three months
watching, waiting, worrying. Their labor for the
ensuing nine months now begins, and as there Is
nothing like good beginning they turn up their
shirt sleeves and dash at the millions of oysters
awaiting them with vehemence OF spirit Ladies
and gentlemen, young and old, Of high or low
degree. have full appreciation OF the arrival OF
the month with the "R" in it. Oysters are
ALWAYS IN ORDER.
Young men and young women who do not reside
In Fifth or Madison avenue. and who do not 40
their eating and their sleeping behind brown
stone fronts, have many pleasant recoections OF
oysters, and in the light OF their experience look
forward to tetes-a-tete ON snowy evenings the
coming winter. Oyster stews are to young ladies
'sparking" what candies are to little children who
are good. Apart, therefore, from the easy digest
beness OF the bivalve, 1t serves to equanimlze peO
pe's tempers and to reconcile wearled limbs to
further trudgng on the slippery road to matri.
mOny. Everybody knows that an oyster never
hurt anybody, never lnterfered with the eating OF
"a square meal" never kept anybody from sleep
ing, and has always been welcome warmer after
the theatre and filed many "gap" when any
thing more than fifty cents was altogether out Of
the question. The oyster is universal fav0rlte,
as 1t ought to be. good way to get at the truth
about oysters is Just to imagine for moment that
the whole crop was failure this year. and In that
case what terrible gloom would overspread the
city, and what winter would be In store for US
But fortunately
THE CROP THIS
promises to be an excellent one. Reports from all
the plantations are fully assuring that never for
many years has there been so fruitful 1ecunda-
tion, so great thriving OF the juveniles and 80
sturdy development OF the "three- ear -olds.n
Hence there is cause for rejoicing, and al the pres
ent moment We may in imagination look along the
shores OF the East River, Long Island Sound, along
the rivers OF Connecticut, Massachusetts, New
Jersey away to North Carolina, down in Baltimore
swarming with the crusty shells and count thou
sands and thousands OF men. women and children
all earning a livelihood by the production, tending
and transporting OF this ish that never moves.
THE NATURAL BEDS AND PLANTING.
Most people know that the oyster Is .raised"
for vs. with the same amount OF care and with
something like the precautions VITA which other
productions are obtained In large quantities. Oys-
are caught. But the supply gained in tins way
binary demand were it not thai the Oystermen
have recourse to the plantations. The planting
is done by selecting several acres OF water at
oysters are thrown to spawn, and where conse-
quenty the crop Is raised. The egg oil the oyster
Is something ike that OF the fish; II spatters out,
and rises to the surface, but soon settles down,
catching upon the first substance 1t meets below.
stone or almost any hard substance Uystermen,
however, frequently throw into this plantation
sn Ss Of @ s and dna h
is considered the most favorable TO the growth Of
the OYSTER In about two or three weeks the egg
hoo ha q Of fhroa Mi II
ceases to grow in cold weather, and sometimes
the water may become too cold for k to live at
perenced wholesale oyster dealers say that the
oyster is ft for the market after three years.
sented ior sale are rarely over that age others,
however, say that the oyster has not reached its
full maturity until It ,,s is seven ST years Ole.
In New York the fancy stock is known as Rock
aways, East Rivers and Blue Points The East
Rivers are an especial favOrite. 1nese come from
all the little inlets which run into dozens OF places
along the river and are said to have more deli
cOus ravor than any Others In regard to this
matter, however, tastes differ. though, OF course,
allowance must be made for the general iavOrites.
Tne Rockaways, East Rivers and Blue Points are
generally supplied to our principal city hotels
Elsewhere as good oysters as these are doubtless
raised, but in our community those named are
considered the ".ancy" stock.
OTHER KINDS
The following are the names OF other kinds well
and very salt; Cow Bay, large saddle rocks, very
salt; Stamford, Conn.,, very high favor good size;
Falrhaven, Conn.,, small; city lSlanu, Long Island
Island Sound very salt; Amboy, Great Beds, very
salt; ksyporS staten Island gSGa size and nsyor
Horn a.S' hsrboS: 6ssp ;, Greek; .,a Eennansai
bury, N. j.; Massachusetts Bay, SADDLE
Broad Rocks Eastern Branch Western Branch
raw virgnas OF all these the Virginia oysters
are the most celebrated '0r juices and flavor.
Tor three weeks and even the improvement In
quality Ia not retarded.
NUMBER OF DAILY DISHES.
It is diff1cult to make even an approximate
estimate of the total number of oysters consumed
In this city each day Of the nine months Of the Oys
ter season. Old and experienced Oystermen
refuse even to guess At the figures. The following
of the consumption daily when the season Is at Its
height, not including the consumption In hotels Or
ordinary restaurants or in private families: ~
Average number OF stews. b6OUO
Average number OF fries. 26OUO
Average number of raws. l75,0OO
Ayerage number number o. hrns1s as@S a@
Total number of dishes l075OOO
OYSTER SALOONS.
All over the city the oyster saloons are scattered
in almost every locality The poorest sections OF
wards have their appropriate oyster houses, and
along the river fronts the hardy blackened sons
simple tables &pd tpe ineleeant series Of bottles
OF condiments which are always associated with
the proper preparation Ds 1he oi,valvs
e oT
and the same establishment, and In tAts double
provision for the inner wants great convenience
Is at once secured for the lovers OF pewter meas
words, regular 'gin-swillersn carefully avoid
bar with an oyster saloon attached Il is estl-
mated that there are at least 1000 oyster saloons