Connecticut western news., 1883-10-03
OYSTERS AND THEIR BEDS.
THE NiODE OF REARING AND TRANS.
 PLANTING OYSTERS.
Interesting Facts About the Bivalves and
 Where They are Found.

W. P. Hopson, editor of the Sea World, Baltimore, Md, gave an inter- esting resume of the condition of the oyster trade in the United States and the l world, as we'll as an interesting descrip- tion of the mode of rearing snd plant- ing oysters. MT. Hopson is of the opin- ion that unless some kind of legislation intervenes to prevent it, the native beds of the country will soon be de- stroyed and the public will have to de- pend on the cultivated fields for 8 SUD- ply. He.says the natural beds in New York, New Jersey and the Chesapeake Bay will soon be exhausted and the ab- original bivalve obliterated. Not only was this trtie in regard to the United States, but also in Europe. In the Chesapeake Bay alone 5000 dredging boats and 10000 men are continually en- gagged in raking the bed of the bay. Cultivated beds would have to be in habited, which was being done in Con- necticut, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island with great success.
 MT. Hopson described at length the manner of transplanting. He consid- cred Connecticut the leading State in | oyster cultivation. In that State the Commonwealth sells to the oyster farmer tract of land extending into the bays, harbors or on the coast in fee simple. | These farms varied in size from 100 to 15, ,00O acres. This year there had been scattered over these farms about ,250,- 900 oyster shells and 15O, ,O0O bushels of seed oysters. The purpose of the shells was to furnish 8 stool or foothold for the oyster, and ill few years the farms would be stocked with millions of oys- ters, as the spawn of a mature one would aggregate over 2, 2,OO0, GOO, and so small that the whole could be placed on a watch crystal. After the lapse of Q year the shells originally used were re- moved, as it was not conducive to the growth of the oyster to let them remain, and were used in transplanting other fields. The Connecticut oyster farmer could produce oysters in any desirable shape, long, slim, thick or short, and hence they grew them up to order. A soft bottom would produce round, thick oyster, and hard bottom long, slender one. There are shipped from the East, destined for the West, not in- cluding the waters of Maryland, $50 car loads per annum of oysters, each car containing ninety barrels, and each bar rel 4, 1000 oysters, for transplanting in the waters of California and the Pacific coast.
 '"They grow rapidly in California, ? the speaker said, ''and in three years 700 of them will fill barrel. None go from Maryland, although the State supplies more for ordinary purposes than all the rest of the United States put together. Oysters are also being shipped to Flu rope for transplanting purposes. In England the native oyster sells for $8C per barrel, while those shipped from this country sell for $8 per barrel. There was 8 peculiar flavor about the English oyster which made it more palatable for the Englishman. One peculiarly about the oyster is that, although in digenous to salt water, it fourished best at the mouths of streams of frest water, and is supposed to obtain its foot from the products of fresh water. The oyster most highly prized by epicure' was found at Blue Point, R. l., although the Baltimore oyster is good enougl for anybody. It was said that oyster. were only fit to eat during certain month. of the year, but this was mistake they are eaten at all times along tn, coast, excepting the spawning season This season is regulated by the depth O water; the shallower the water tn, earlier the spawn."