The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-11-26
THE OYSTER

Unimportant as the oyster may ap
near in the scale of animate being, Is
has yet literature old as the days of
imperial Rome. About 2,4O0 years ago
one Sergius Orata, a man of practical
mind, turned Lake Avernus into an
oyster-bed, and through his culture CT
this bivalve the Lucrin oysters, as they
were called, became the Saddle Rocks
of Rome. So great was his reputation
that the Romans said thathe could make
the oysters grow on the tops of the
houses. Avernus is to-day miserable
hole of volcanic mud, and Sergius IS no
more. Near Baine and Cumae is the
Neapolitan Lake Fusaro, the classic
Acheron. It is about three leagues
round, and six feet deep. Its bed Is
black volcanic slime, yet from time
memorial this has been an oyster park,
or plantation, where the 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 prllled up, and the seed
plucked off by hand. Formerly France
possessed large oyster-beds, but through
want Of cultivation the natives came
nearly being e1terminated. Under the
direction, however, of Professor Coste
',,,-cs1- I,aoa,,,oe f1,roro in Ero0oa
In two years 1000 capitalists, with a
similar number of fishermen, occupied
Il surface of 9S8 acres. Twelve miles Of
sea coast was planted, with l, 200 parks
in operation, and thousands more pro-
jected. In France scrupulous provision
is made for outstanding the fry, in
America no effort Is made in this direc-
ton, our practice being simply this: In
the spring sloops and schooners go
South to procure the seed, which is OBJ
tanned chiefly 10 the Rappahannock, the
Nanticoke, and few other places. Oys-
tiers of a moderate size are often brought
North and laid down for season, that
they may increase III size and acquire
the Northern flavor. The better kinds
of Southern-the Lynn Haven Bays,
Sandy Points, CherTystones, York
Rivers, etc.-are sent to Baltimore,
Washington, Philadelphia, and some to
New York. New Jersy, New York and
Connecticut are the favorite planting
grounds. When the vessels arrive the
oysters are scattered, the lower side
generally falling right side up. The
seed is allowed to lie from one 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-tongs. Working
over the side of the boat the oysterman
and his mate take up the first harvest.
The dredge is then used. 4 great iron
bag or dredge is cast into the water and
dragged along the bottom both tong
ing and dredging require broad chested
men, with sturdy hands and arms. The
oysters are then taken little way up a.
creek or stream E'to get a drink after
which the mullusks are taken up with
large forks, the workrnen standing in
the stream wearing high rubber boots
the next process consists IN 'scrllling, :"
that is, asserting into the sizes known in
the trade. The smallest are called
S'culls," and are sold by the bushel
They are used in saloons for 'sstews''
and for domestic use. The others,
known as counts are served up as
''fries, and sold by the hundred. After
the harvest is finished the grounds are
turned over to the laborers, who go 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 South
ern. Oystermen used to speak of the
two genuses as Chesapeake and York
Bays. There are, however, a variety of
local names Ostrea borealis is the
species Of The Northern oyster; ostrea
Virginiana OF the Southern. The Flurop-
can oyster IS called ostrea edulis. Of
the Northern article there age many
yarieties-the Keyport, City Island,
Guilford, Blue Point, Rockaway, Sad
de, Saddle Rock, Shrewsbury, etc. The
Blue Point was for fifty years s'the
Knickerbocker," among oysters, but it
had eventually to yield to the splendid
Saddle Rock. The name is still given
to very large oysters, the original variety
being, however, no longer in existence.
Saddle Rock were first brought to Full
ton market, New York, by an old negro
named Henry Scott. The original