The daily gazette., 1880-09-01
FIFTH EDITION.
OYSTERS

THE SEASON ABOUT TO oPEN-soME
FACTS ABOUT THE HARDsHELL
LUXURY.
Il is expected that there would be a
few oyster boats at Front street wharf
this morning, but there were none,
and the Jersey truckers held full sway.
In few days, however, the oyster
will supplant the sweet potato and
water melon, and the season of 1S80-S1
will DO fairly opened. With the first
of September the regular winter sea Il
son opens, and already the oyster boats
of Wilmington and other places have
started down the bay to dig the ms-
cious bivalves from their river beds,
and exchange them for the hard cash
of the commercial mart. For week
past the fleet have been getting ready
and at the present time there are be-
tween four hundred and five hundred
boats in Maurice river cove, on the
Jersey shore Of Delaware bay, and in
Mahone's river, on the western side of
the bay, ready to begin the operation
of dredging Mt sunrise this morning on
their respective grounds.
Most of these boats are owned In
Philadelphia, but some are from this
city, and othels belong W Cedarville,
Fairton, Mauricetown, Dorchester, and
other points in New jersey. There are
upwards of 5000 men engaged in the
business, each boat averaging crew Of
five hands, and about a million dollars
of capital invested, a great part of which
is expended among sallmakers, provls-
ion dealers aud others engaged in fnl-
nishiDg supplies to boa's and crews. -
From 500 to $1400 is said TO be the pro-
ceeds of trip in good seasons, one yes
sci owner beng reported TO have made
$4,000 In an exceptionally good year.
IL is said to cost much more LOW than
formerly TO carry on the business, As
plants have frequently 10 be purchased
and brought from Chesapeake bay, some
parties extensively engaged paying IS
high as $l0,00O for those required in the
setting-out season, which lasts from the
middle of March to the 1st of July. Bay
plants are secured during the summer by
dredging in the Delaware bay, and, II
allowed to grow for fifteen months, be-
come fat and healthy, aud foi Ia the best
oysters marketed.
The planting grounds comprise from
ten TO fifteen acres, each boat having at
least three grounds to dredge from, two
of which are worked in alternate years,
and the third used as a "trash dump"
where the smaller oysters are deposited
and left to mature, being gathered up
every four or five years, according to the
state of the market In the large cities.
The grounds in Maurice river cove are
ten miles from its mouth 10 short dis
tance above Cape May Point, aud on the
western side of the Delaware bay for "a
distance of ten mics in length and five
miles in width, as well rs for considera-
BILE distance up Mahone's river. The
oysters got at these places are known as
fresh oysters, and are supplied not only
10 this city aud Philadelphia, b. large
numbers are shipped direct from Port
Norris by rail to New York, particularly
in seasons when the Shrewsbury,
iavorite in that city, does not come up
to the eplcurean standard.
When the Delaware and Jersey BIZ
valves iail in quantity or quality, the
market is helped out by impurtatlons of
the New York variety from the waters
of Long Island Sound and the Raritan
Iiver. When the Delaware is clrsed by
lco in severe winters, and boats are I'M
able 10 proceed to Philadelphia, a par
iial supply Is obtained from Port NsrrIs
hy rail, and from Dover, 10 which point
the oysters are carted from MAhone'-
river Wilmington. however, receives
"A supply by waser during the entire sea
son, although great numbers are sent
here by rail. Waier-tight wooden floats
have come in use along ihe grounds this
season, on which the oysters are placed
and Kept fresh anu fai until ready for
loading into boats, when they are started
on the way to the city.
The tlrst boats will probably arrive In
Wilmington tomorrow or next day,
after which the arrivals will be plentiful
throughout the season. Pine oysters
viii bring from So 10 So per load, aad
cuttings from $50 to So At retail good
oysters VIII cost 65 cents a bushel. An
unusually good season Is anticipated by
tie dealers, and numerous unusually |
good feasts by the consumer.