The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-02-11
FARMS NO EYE HAS SEEN.
PLANTING AND HARVESTING EAST
HRN OYSTER BEDS.
How tho Oyster II Cu1tivated-Ene-
mics of the MISUNDERSTANDING
Oysters tO the New York Market.

HRN OYSTER BEDS.
How tho Oyster IL Cultivated-Ene-
mics Of the MISUNDERSTANDING
Oysters to the New York Market.
Oysters are raised by cultivation, just
as fruits and vegetables are. They are
found in all seas in from four to six faith.
oms OF water, and never at q great dis
lance from the shore. They are most
abundant in the quiet waters Of gul(s
and bays formed at the mouths of large
rivers. The principal sources of supply
for the United States are the Chesapeake
bay, New Jersey coast, aud Long Island
sound. Formerly the northern beds were
almost wholly kept up by restocking
with seed oysters from Chesapeake bay
and the Hudson river, but of late the
oyster rcapers have secured the seed, or
spat, as the fishermen call it, during the
spawning season, and new grounds have
been utilized until the area of the oyster
beds can be measured by townships, and
is constantly extending.
Although there IS no such thing as
buying the beds of any of the public
waters, yet oyster grounds are, in q man
ncr, bought and sold in this way: Aman
or a company will clear up a new place
and begin raising oysters. If 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 q 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. Rockaways
lie about one year and sounds from three
years to five years. The increase is from
three to six baskets for every n of spat.
The chances, as a rule, are in favor of a
good crop, but the oystermen have many
things to contend with, so that it some.
times happens that when they 90 to
gather the oysters they find either dead
ones or none at all. The oyster has its
natural enemies, such as the drumfsh
and startish, which destroy agrcat many,
and in the second place the ground some
times proves unsatisfactory. Sometimes
a heavy weight of grass grows fast to
them, and, pressing them down into the
mud, smothcrs them, or, when they are
on sandy soil, a storm will occasionally
cover them entirely with sand. How
ever, with the constantly improved
methods Of cultivation, means are being
continually devised for the better protcc-
ton 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 arc called sounds. The remain
der 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 the New York
waters arc stored for winter use.
Down on West street, a few blocks
north of Canal street, o little fleet Of
oyster bosts, packed together like sar-
dimes in a box, may be seen any day
delivering their cargoes. How one ever
gets out is a profound mystery. The
boatmcn themselves say it often takes
half & day TO get one clear of the rest.
They are small, single masted, and each
carries a jib. They vary in length
from thirty feet to forty feet. They
cost between $500 and 1000 apiece,
according to their size and the manner
in which they arc fitted up. There are
also a great many steam tugs engaged in
the business. Each boat usually carries
five men. The wholesale dealer, who
have their houses upon RATS along the
dock, own or have m interest in most
of these boats. One dealer will often
own q number Of sail boats, or an inter.
est ir several, and perhaps q number of
tugs as well. There are, however,
many boats that arc owned by the men
who sail them. The boats usually stay
out a week Or six days. Each is pro-
vi9cd with an oyster tongs and drcdgc.
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 dredgeis
an iron rake in two sections. 1t has a
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 up by the teeth OF the dredge,
are showed back into the bag until it is
filled, and then 1t is raised and its con
tents are empticd on board. 1t is
either dragged by the sailboat with
spread canvas or worked by steam.
When q boat has a load of oysters,
which is from one thousand TO six thou
sand, according to the size of the craft,
it carries the oysters to a w~ater-logged
crib. This is done in order that the
oysters may drink, and thus gain a fine,
plump appearance for market, and also
themselves with a 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 dealers. Oysters arc clas-
sltied according to their size, as extras,
box, culling and cullentines. Some Of
the dealers open the oysters they handle,
while others simply deal in them in the
shell. The openers get 81 a thousand
for opening the oysters, and one man
can open from three thousand to six
thousand a day.-Nem York San.