The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-20
OyotsFs drown on Trees.

the lower Court On finding of facts
ny judge Culver, has been on trial re.
Gently, before the Supreme Court of
Errors, In Connecttut. It concerns a
novel industry, unleard Of outside this
county-the artificial propagation Of
oysters on trees.
Poquonoc RiverIis a broad arm of
Long Island Soutd, penetrating the
Connecticut coast few miles east of
New London, dividing the great level
sea meadows for three or four miles in
land. The tide rises the whole length
OF the river. For years the waters of
the Poquonoc River have been noted
as producing the most delicious oysters
known In the word. They outranked
the famous ''Blue Points, g" selling read.
ny at $40 a barrel when the latter might
be bought for S.. On account Of the
thick black mud that plastered the bed
OF the river, and which is fatal to oys-
ter culture, only small margin of the
bottom, rocky strip far in shore,
could be utilized ljy the oyster-gro wers.
Annually the oysters that had attached
themselves to the rocks and other OBJ
structlons over this district were
knocked or and sold at tempting pri-
ces, but there were not enough OF them.
IL was not until three or four years ago
that speculative and inventive Yam
kee devised u plan for extending the
oyster cultivation upon the mud bot.
toms. lie went into his woods and cut
gown forest Of tough, wiry white
Dlrches, dragged them to the bank,
pore them IN ms boat upon the river
ana dumped them overheard, taking
care ~ tnat they should be left at proper
intervals on the bottom. He had an
idea that tile oyster spawn would come
sailing along in the season, catch hold OF
the birch boughs, and grow into q ia
bulous fortune for him. The idea was
a good one, but not perfected. lie al
lowed the birch to lie a suitable time
and then pulled them up Every bough
and tWlg was thick with half-groWn
blvalYes, but the weight of the growing
shells had dragged the brush down
into the tatal mud, and the oysters had
perlshed by the million.
Enlightened by his failure he made
another trial. lie planted the birches
upright on the bottom, setting them at
al angie with the current. The sub
merged trees, as described in the Judi
clal lndlng, were from fifteen to twenty
feet in length, and the butts, which
were three or four inches in diameter.
were thrust three or four feet in the
mud. Their tops just pricked through
the waves at low tide. 1t is stated IN
the report of the Oyster Commission of
the State that each female oyster will
produce III the breeding season from
9,Ooo,O0O to 40,00O,0UO eggs, which
float with the current and tach them
selves as spat or spawn to any obstacle
they encounter. In the breeding sea-
son That followed the planting ct the
birch trees, millions, billions OF spat
came t1oatlng down the current OF Po-
quonoo river to the submarine forest.
1t was just what they wanted-a ready
made home. They drfted as thick as
snowflakes to the bending boughs and
plant twigs. Singly they were 50
small as to be almost invisible, but
their legion speckled the trees with
brownish patches. Finally every branch
and tWAy was covered, but apparently
there was no diminution IN the army
OF floating immigrants. The new-oom-
ers multiplied Oh the speckles already
attached until there were dozens in a
bunch. 1t requires two years for an
oyster spawn Or spat to Teach maturity
From mere speck 1t will grow in a
month OF six weeks to The size OF q
quarter Of a dollar. In two years an
acre OF brush will produce 1000 bushels
Of full-grown oysters. The trees bowed
under tlleir load OF growing shells, but
the elastic wood kept the fruit clear of
mud. At the end OF a few months il
was seen that the oyster orchards pro.
missed an astonishing harvest. ALI the
oystermen along the river were anxious
to try their hand ut the new styla of
oyster farming. Under the law OF the
State the mud bottom on each side OF
the 1O0-fooe channel was staked and
set Off in plats to a dozen or more apDli
cants to be planted with oyster trees.
Soon both sides of Poquolloo River
from it's head for long Way toward
the sea, was bristllng with sunken
bmches waving an ebDlng and flowing
welcome to the drifting spat.
| Among the marine hOrticulturists
was Gideon Il. Raymond, the plaintiff,
who in the years 1S79-S0-Sl placed
upon his plats, in all, about 600 white
Dlrches. One encouraging crop Of oys-
tors had been gathered from tile trees.
the forests replanted, and the cultiya.
tors were looking forward to a second
and larger harvest, when an event oc
Cured which provoked the present suit
in Court, and has nearly ruined the
business OF raising oysters On trees. In
May, 1881, scarlet fever and diphtheria
broke out in the village and neighbor-
hood OF Poquonoc and soon assumed
the most vlrulent character. The dis.
eases ragged through the spring and
summer. Out Of fifty cases twenty
terminated fatally. The distress was
terrible. The village was barred OIL
from the rest Of the world. Few per.
sons dared to cross tho plague-stricken
district. Outdoor work was in part
or wholly abandoned. The streets
were seldom disturbed except by the
passing OF funeral train. Often in
The same house two and three persons
lay dead at the same time. The well
had all they could do to wait on the ill
and bury the dead. In the general ter.
TOR and fever OF excitement some imagi.
native person rushed to the conclusion
that the pestilence was caused by oys-
ter brush decaying on the mud plats.
lie whispered his suspicion abroad. LII
moment the villagers were ailame
with resentment against the owners of
the oyster.beds. Pull up the trees at
once and burn them on the river banks. /,
was the wild demand. Few mon were