Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-23
FARMS NO EVE HAS SEEN.
Eastern Oyster Beds and the Method
OF Planting and Harvesting the
Crops.

From the New York Sun.
Oysters are raised by cultivation, Just as
fruits and vegetables are. They are found in
all seas in from four feet to six fathoms OF water
and never at great distance from the shore.
They are most abundant in the quiet waters of
CULTS and bays formed at the mouths OF larger
rivers. The principal sources of supply for the
United States are the Chesapeake bay, New
Jersey coast, and Long Island Sound. Formerly
the northern beds were almost wholly kept up
by restocking with seed oysters from Chesa-
peake bay and the Hudson river but of late the
oyster reapers have secured the seed or spat,
as the fishermen call 1t. during the spawning
season. and new grounds have been utilized
until the area of the oyster Oeds can be mea-
sured by township and is constantly extending.
Although there is no such thing as buying The
peas or any CT the public water. yet oyster
grounds are, in a manner. bought and sold in
this way. A man of company will clear up
new place and begin raising oysters. II these
men wish to go out of the business they sell
their squatter's right to their bed. The right is
recognized in the business and such a sale
holds good by common consent. The spat
gathered in the spawning season is scattered
over the beds from which oysters have been
gathered or on newly prepared ground as the
case may be- Here it lies from one year to FIVE
or six years. Rockawayslie about one year and
Sounds from three years to five years. The in
crease is from three to six baskets tor every one
OF Spat The chances as a rule. are ia favor of
good crop, but the oystermen have many
things to contend with. so that it sometimes
happens that when they go to gather the oys-
tiers they find either dead ones or none at all.
The oyster has its natural enemies such as the
Qrum[lSh and StaTflSh. which destroy great
many, and in the second place the ground some
times proves unsatisfactory. Sometimes G
heavy weight of grass grows fast to them. and
pressing them down into the mud. smothers
them, or, when they are on sandy soil. a storm
Will occasionally cover them entirely with sand.
However, with the constantly improved methods
OF cultivation, means are being continually de-
vised for the better protection OF the oyster
Two-thirds of the oysters now brought into
the New York market during the summer and
autumn come from the lower bay and are called
Sounds. The remainder may be said to come
from Rockaway. Blue Point. and the East River.
The winter trade depends more or less on the
supply from Chesapeake Bay. although large
quantities taken in tine New York waters are
stored for winter USE
Down ON West street. few blocks north of
Canal street, little fleet of oyster boats packed
together like sardnes in box may be seen any
day delivering their cargoes. How one ever
gets out is a profound mystery. The boatmen
themselves say 1t often takes half day to get
one clear of the rest. They are small. single
masted. and each carries jib They vary i'm
length between thirty feet and forty feet. They
cost between 500 and ~. 900 apiece. according
TO their size and the manner in which they are
fitted up. There are also great many steam
tugs engaged in the business. Each boat usu-
ally carries five men. The wholesale dealers
who nave their houses upon RATS along the
dock. own or have an interest in most of these
boats. One dealer will often own q number of
SaliooatS. or an interest in several, and perhaps
a number of tugs as well. There are however
many boats that are run by the men who sail
them. The boats usually stay out week or six
days Each is provided with oyster tongs and
dredge. At first, while the oysters are thick
the men use the tongs Afterward they finish
up by raking over the ground with the dredge.
The dredge is an iron rake in two sections. Ii
has bag hanging from the back of it. made of
iron links. This is always held open by an iron
frame. The oysters. as they are raked mp by the
teeth of the dredge are showed back into the
bag until it is filled. and then it is raised and
its contents are emptied on board. 1t is either
dragged by the sailboat with spread canvas or
worked by steam.
When boat has a load of oysters which is
from LOCO to 5000. according to the size of the
craft, it carries the oysters to water-logged
crib. This is done in order that the oysters may
drink, and thus gain fine. plump appearance
Tor market, and also supply themselves with
circulating fluid to stand long transportation.
They, are usually put in the crib at ebb tide as
it is only then that oysters open. After this
other boats deliver them to the wholesale deal
ers. Oysters are classified according to their
size. as extras, box. cullins and culientines.
Some OF the dealers open the oysters that they
handle, while Others simply deal in them in the
shell. The openers get 81 a thousand for open
ing the oysters. and one man can open from
5000 to 6000 iay.