Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-13
Cultivation of the Oyster.

De entertainer III an JUuIudl
stranger still, like carrying Goals to Newcas-
tie" that we should find In a far-of quarter
some interesting facts upon the subject which
will no dolnt be entirely new, not only to those
est of these bivalves, but also OF others who
have all their lifetime been engaged in the
business Of the "catch" for the markets Of the
world. For now, such has been the growth of
this business OF late years. not only are the dis
tant sections of our own country supplied with
them, but, canned and sealed, they are shipped
safely to the fartheSt ends Of the world and
wherever they may reach, are gulped down
with gusto which no other product of the
EARTH the air or the water affords to the cpl
cure.
A correspondent of the Alabama Register, at
Mobile, having asked of the agricultural editor
OF that journal, Prof. j. B. Steele, for some spe-
cation and characteristics of the oyster, apollo
gtzed for the intrusion into that department OF
the journal. The editor replies that mo apol-
cfassed as branch of agriculture, so is fish
culture, in word, the artificial propagation or
MANAGEMENT of any animal or thing is regarded
may look like rather wide branching off from
the original, as the word Agricultural is made
OF two Latin words meaning acre and culture,
but that is the way they have fixed 1t up in this
country, and we must work to the prevailing
rule, Of course"
After some minor details as to its former SCI
ent1f1c position, the writer presents the follow
ing information upon its present status
Until comparatively recent period the oyster
(OSt7'eG e1nliSJ was regarded as hermaphOdlte,
but scientists have al last discovered that the
as to be easily recognized by any one familiar
with the animal. In point Of numbers the
During the breeding season the oyster is said to
be TN the milk which term is applied to the
oya or spawn and to the sperm. The spawn is
discharged in minute, Weld balls, Of such a
gravity that 1t floats about through the water
without either rising to the surface or settling
to the bottom. The sperm of the male is of the
same character as to gravity; consequently,
these secretions from the different sexes float
about until chance brings them into contact,
when they adhere to the first hard substance
they happen to SETTLE upon, and at once begin
first the new creation so to speak, appears to
belong to the vegetable rather than the animal
Kingdom; but, as 1t continues to grow in size,
the animal exhibits characteristics which leave
no doubt as to where the strange little substance
belongs In few weeks 1t is capable of fee
Die Independent motion. that gradually in
when 1T is found to have the power to open and
close them at will.
An object to which the combined floating
spawn is apt to adhere is the shell of an old
single oysters only are found In the artificial
beds, it Is not all uncommon to find them in the
natural beds adhering together In large clus-
tiers.
When the little animal has first taken shape
it does not much resemble an adult oyster; but
has thin fiat shell. which is soft and fr1able,
known as spat. The spat is much sought after
by fishes crabs and turtles, which destroy the
oyster crop by thousands. Finally, the spat
gets hard shell and then fishes, ETC., leave it
alone. At one year Of age it is from an inch to
an Inch and half in diameter, and its shell is
SO hard as to render 1t safe from the attack OF
most OF its enemies. At this age 1t Is in proper
condition to be taken up and used as ''plant."
Although ranked by naturalists In very low
scale OF animal existence, the oyster Is not with
out physical power and sufficient instinct to
favor SplfOrpSpryatj0n shown in the inomp-
date closing OF the shell on the approach of
disturbance or danger. Nevertheless, 1t must
always be regarded as but little more than
imal from the vegetable kingdom.
The plants are simply oysters that have deem
taken up from the reefs in the salt water where
they never attain to large size, and deposited in
the semtfresh water to fatten and grow. When
first taken up they are called REFERS, but after
running their course In bay Or at the mouth
Of rivers they are plants The REFER when
taken up measures from one to three inches in
length; but as a plant it grows and fattens
With great rapldity, increasing in size In the
course OF year to from four to six inches in
length, when it is considered ready for the
market.
Scientific men have never yet been able, after
long study, to determine the peculiar food OF
the oyster, but the regular oystermen, who
observe them at all conditions, entertain no
other Idea on the subject, so far. as we have
the water" We suppose they are not far wrong;
the oyster, while it may not feed directly upon
the water, must feed upon such matter as the
water conveys to 1t.
The artificial propagation Of the oyster is
now being extensively pract1ced along the
shores of France. There the beds are as meth
odically marked out as for flower garden, and
close calculation is made as to the greatest
profitable produce from given number of sets.
And the sets are so put down as to make a reg
ular succession, a portion of the crop coming Ia
for market every week throughout the proper
season, and other sets being Immediately put
In to fill the place OF the plants taken up. NJ.
Coste, a scientific gentleman and eminent nat
uralist OF France, is said to have undertaken to
heavily stock the whole available coast OF that
country with oysters at a cost of Sc per acre.
He has machine which he employees fin deyel-
oping the young oysters securing his Start
from the natural beds-something on the plan
of securing fish spawn for artificial breeding
1t is said to be most marvellous success.