The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-06-19

If they had not noticed it already. il Is
perhaps unnecessary to inform our read-
ers that the oyster crop Of the. present
season is in several respects better than
that which we have had for nulnber OF
years past. From almost every point at
which these shell-fish are collected re-
ports have been received that the fish are
this year generally larger and healthier
than usual, statements which those who
are at all critical in their tastes must
have had many opportunities OF verify
ing. But while recognizing the increased
excellence of the oyster this winter as an
article OF food, We have not been able,
even from those who are directly inter
ested in the business, to obtain any we'll
defined reason for the admitted improve.
ment. Indeed, very few attempt TO ac-
count for the change, and the only fairly
sensible explanation that we have heard
given is that the sea water was of
warmer temperature this year during the
months Of September and October than
for number of preceding years. OF
course, this may in no way account for
the circumstance that has been men,
toned, for the subject is one which does
not appear to have attracted the amount
of scientific investigation that it deserves.
In fact, there are several features in re-
spect to oysters that do not seem to be
generally known. II information re-
ceived from those who are in the busi-
ness, added to some slight personal ex-
perience, is worth anything, the oyster,
unlike most kinds of fish, improves by
keeping ont of the water. Perhaps, how
ever, it ought to be said in explanation
that very few fish can continue to live
for any length of time, after n removal
fAom their native element, and that dead
oysters lose their virtue quite as quickly
as other fish. But if oysters are care
fully packed, with the bowl shaped shell
underneath. they will live in temperate
atmosphere for number Of days, feed
ing on the liquid that is confined within
their shells. If they are opened immedi-
ately after they are scooped from the
ground, the fish will be found floating,
90 to speak, in quite quantity of water.
but if they are opened after three or four
days proper keeping, this water viii al
most wholly have disappeared, while
the fish will be found much richer and
fuller than it was on the first day, the
reason given by oyster dealers fer this
being that it has fed itself on the liquid
that had previously been in the shell.
This leads to the remark that the desir-
ability of packing oysters in ice is an
open question.
large number of the best-informed
men in the trade maintain that the prac-
tice of putting large Jumps of ice npon
oysters in the shell that have been stacked
up, as they commonly are in restaurants,
is highly injurious one If the fish are
dead, no doubt this treatment is intend
ed to keep them in condition to be fit
to eat; but if they are dead they have al
ready lost large part of their excellence
as species Of human food. as they should
remain alive until killed by the forcing
open of the shells. II. however, they are
alive, this application of ice, it Is said,
is pretty certain to put speedy end to
their existence. To the many lovers Of
this shell-fsh the controversy is one Of
no slight importance, and the question
involved should be settled definitely
one way or the other.-N. 7. Times.