Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-13
"DECLlNE OF oYsTERIN,.,
An Old Rhode Island Fisherman in
Piaineive Mood.
From the Providence Journal.

From the Providence Journal
Oysterin': Well, oysterin' amt what it used
to be-oysterin' is poor business nowadays.
There's three reasons for it: Sewamge, FIVE
myers and ten-fngers. If 'twasn't for these
three things, which spoil the profits Of H. bust
ness. would not exchange two acres of good
piantin ground on Great Bed for the best farm
in Rhode Island. Now. that's sayin' q good
deal. amt it? Cos there's some good farms in
Rhode Island. But I've seen the time when the
profits of oyster plantin' in this bay was some
thin amaZ!n. Why, TO say nothn of the Pet
tises, who have all done pretty well in the bust
ness, specially Robert-but he's wealthy
man-there was old Uncle Benny Smith and
John Wilbur, both lett property when they
died. After Uncle Benny died they found a
barrel o silver quarters in his cellar
and they found the same thing in old
john NiibGrs cellar. too. an one day
when theJ was rummagin' in the attic room in
his house they come across a handbook full OF
silver and 10 cent pieces. Why John Wilbur
he left houses an houses down by Blue Point
there. you know, round Chestnut and South
streets; ne lett his widow mighty we'll off. and
she helped him accumulate it, too. She was a
cloak maker. tell We. folks in them days wasn't
SO poor nor proud neither as good many
laZer one these times. But then. it didn't used
TO be any trouble to make money Oystern in
them days You put down yonr 200 bushel on
your bed. and in two to -FOUR Years you could
take up20o0 huslle great big fellows with yell
low cast-shOwed they was plump and healthy
and CROWN good. Now. | planted 100 bushel
same as to-day. and iii a week ! went to see how
they was getting along. and found nOthn but
shells That little experiment cost me more'n
could afford to lose. at any rate. What was the
cause OF it? Five fingers. You know what a
live finger is don't you? You've caught EN-
stariish you call em-on your line when you've
been fishin' for soup down the river. Well, the
hve-fnger Is very fond of young oysters. and
where oysters are, tive-tingers go, and if you
don't look out it is pretty soon no oysters,
and all flve-fngers. Why, l set a lob
ster tr az ~, an eel potdown by the
when went to haul it it come up mighty
heavy, can tell you. Well. when I pulled it
into the boat and come to empty it, there want
blessed thing in it but fvetingers. 1t was
chuck full Of them though, as full as it could
stick: Why. sometimes when We go on to bed
to rake for oysters, our rakes will strike such a
solid mass of 'fve-fingers' as to make EN-
bound back real hard. There amt nothin
really you can do to get rid of EN-. Aud they'd
Clean out an oyster bed in so short time as to
surprise ye They don't care so much for old
oysters; it's the young and tender ones they're
after and they get 'em, too. Plague take em.
If man would invent something to get rid of
EN- with. he'd make his everlasting fortune
They'll grow and breed surprisingly, too. A
little one. no bgGer'n 10-cent piece will grow
to be as big as your hand in a few days. You
cant dredge for efn very well, for they lay close
TO bottom. same as an oyster, and any dred9e
that will turn them over will catch the oyster
too. The best way to serve 'em that know of
is to do as Mr.. Dewing has his men do. They
go out in boats on to the beds when the water
is low. SO they can see bottom. and they spear
the 'fve-fingers." and eXtcrminate all they can
reach in this way. But they grow and travel
about SO. it's hard to produce much of de-
crease in their numbers. If you could get up
something to pizen 'em and not kill the oyster,
it would be first rate.