Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-09-12

No one has ever been able to state exactly
the reason why a large number of people fear
to eat oysters during the months which are
without an ''r." The truth of the matter is
that several varieties of oysters properly treat
ed are better during the summer season than
at any other time of the year. This state
ment is made upon the authority of ]. W.
Boyle, who is one of the largest wholesale
dealers in bivalvcs in this city, who an
swered q reporter who visited his boat, moor
ed at the foot of Broome street, East river
Mr. Boyle said that this old-tme prejudice
against oysters in the summer season was
rapidly dying out, and that sales during the
summer months are yearly growing larger.
He said that oysters, especially Blue Points,
East Rivers and Sounds are better eating in
the month of May than at any other season Of
the year, because they are fatter and
frmer, owing to the fresh water brought into
the beds by the freshets caused by the break
ing up of the ice in the rivers aud streams at
the mouths of which the oyster beds are sit
uated.
1t has been the custom of two or three deal
ers for several seasons past to bring market
able oyst, rs from the beds in the James, Po-
tomac and York rivers and plant them in
beds near the city between the lst of March
aud the 10Th of May. These oysters can be
taken up and used Immediately, and are large-
uhth loI IuuSuull lllOu tut Suu4lltl
months. 1t is necessary to use all the oys-
tors thus transplanted, as the southern oys-
ters will not live in northern waters during
the winter months.
Mr. Boyle said that there is every prospect
that the supply of oysters this season will be
more plentiful than for several years past
and that the quality will be very fine. Very
few persons, he said, had any idea of the
amount of capital involved in this business
Probably the entire trade of this city amounts
to between eight and ten millions of dollars
annually. The best oysters received in this
market, and probably the best in the world
are ''Dlue Points" which are brought from
Great South bay, on the south shore of Long
Island. There is a great difference in the va
reties of oysters. The field from which oys-
ters are gathered for the New York market
extends from Norwalk, CT, to Norfolk, Va.
Mr.. Boyle said it was n mistake to believe
that the larger the oyster the better the fla
yor for an oyster is at its prime when about
three years old. He said that it was very easy
to tell the age of an oyster, as a ridge is form
ed on the shell each year He said also that
a dealer could tell at once by looking at an
oyster from what point it was brought and
whether it had grown on gravelly bed or a
muddy bed. He said that oysters planted on
a muddy bed were apt to grow long and mar
row, while those planted on a sandy or hard
bed grew fiat and broad.
The Liverpool trade has grown to vast pro-
portions within the last two or three years.
Last season more than 1000 barrels were
shipped to that point. These oysters sell in
Liverpool for $40 barrel. Mr.. Boyle said
that be could deliver oysters in better condi-
ton in Liverpool than he could in Chicago,
as the jolting of the cars opened the shells
and killed the oysters. There are more than
1000 vessels engaged in the oyster trade in
this port in the winter season, principally ply
ing to southern beds, as the oysters can be
obtained from the James river at any season
of the year.
The enemies which the owners of the oyster
beds have to contend against are the red
drumish, starfish and a small shell fish call
ed drill, which bore through the shell and
extract the liquor. The red drumfsh varies
from two to three feet in length, and his
method is to crush the oyster in his powerful
jaw and eat the meat. Eleven years ago a
shoal of drumtish attacked the bed of Capt
Britton at Princes Bay, and in tho course of
two days ate up 1000 bushels.
The next best oysters after Blue Points are
Rockaways, brought from the inlet Of that
name.-NeaO York EOening Post,