Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-01
USHERING IN THE OYSTER.
THE DAY THE QUIET MOLLUsK
GETS A BLACK EYE.

RAst Three thAb hfS
Good in the Months without an r.
The Growth of tho Industry and It's
Future.
A tradition fixes to-day as the opening
of the oyster season, and a sad day it Is
for the studiOus, amiable mOllusks. Many
suppose that the luscious biyalve IS in a
dit state for consumption only during the
eight months from September 70 May.
This theory is now generally exploded.
The experienced FISHERMAN or caterer
will say that the oyster is in no better
cond ition at any time during the year
than in May or a portion Of June.
The oyster industry Of savannah is rap
Idly developing, and growers, dealers and
shippers are making every preparation
this year for an unusually good business.
Examinations Ofall the oyster beds along
the Georgia coast where the best oysters
are found, show that the crop will be un-
usually large, and the oyster Will
be much liner and Iatter than last year.
The trade here, which was hardly estab-
lished three years ago, Is fast increasing,
and this year promises to eclipse that OF
any former Year. 1t IS hardly possible
yei TO make an estimate OF the shipments,
bur there is a never ceasing demand
which the South Atlantic coast beds are
bound in time TO supply "a the fields
further North become exhausted. The
cities OF the West are great oyster con-
sumers, aud there Savannah will lind a
market for all she can supply.
The varieties Of oysters in savannah
are numerous. There are the mont
gomerys." the elsie Of Hopes" the
'Skidaways,' the "W hite Bluffs" 'Dau-
uskies," and the ''Ihunderbolts,' all
seemingly very near alike, but the con-
nOisseur, in his cultivated taste, says
they are as different IN flavor as they are
in name.
Large quantities are brought up daily
from along the coast, Montgomery and
Tuunderb0lt furnishing perhaps the
largest bulk. They are taken readily by
the three leading shippers, Hudson, Suili-
van and SaVarese, and prepared for snip
ment. The shipments amount TO an aver
age Of 500 gallons daily, and nearly every
city and town in the State is supplied
from this market, Atlanta and Macon
being the heaviest purchasers. In
addition to the supply received
from along the Georgia coast,
New York and Baltimore furnish large
shipments. The Baltimore bivalve is a
product of the Chesapeake bay and its
tributaries.
The Baltimore supply covers an i'm
mense area. In tact, wherever there Is
salt water in Maryland there are oysters.
There are 6,l79 males and 2,46O females
employed in oyster shucking in Maryland.
The average price paid for shucking is ID
cents a gallon. 1t is estimated that $4,000
persons in the vicinity of Baltimore are
supported through the oyster trade. On
the cOas of Virginia there are 1880 per-
sons engaged in the trade, of whom $500
are white and 100 cOlored.
There are 5000 in the oyster industry at
RappahannOck. The number of oysters
packed at Norfolk two or three years <
exceeded the combined totals OF all pack
ing points in Maryland, Baltimore ex-
Guided.
1t was shown by the Maryland Oyster
Commission Of January, 1884, that their
oyster area should be made to yield neal
ly 100, 600, 900. The Maryland beds are in
danger, because of the demand being IN
excess Of the supply.
England spends $50, 000, 900 per year for
oysters. The most celebrated oyster port
IN England is w Unstable, situated on the
southern side of the mouth of the Thames.
Their shells are not very large, but their
bodies are thick and very full on accOunt
Of the great depth Of the cavity OF the
left valve. They retail at about 50 cents
per dozen. The oysters which are sent
over To Germany are smaller varieties.
At Whitstable is an oyster company
which it is claimed has been in existence
for 600 or 700 years. II numbers over 400
members, VINO work 40 vessels. Only
the sons OF those who are or have
been members are admitted into the
guild.
The best oysters in Ireland are the Bur-
rem and Poldoody, the C~arlinglord being
now extinct. In France the best are
found at Cancele, Elretat and Marennes.
In Belgium the finest come from Ostend.
There is "A fine favored, delicate small
oyster much in favor at Genoa, and a
green-fnned oyster at Venice, both OF
which are good. In Great Britain they
have al oyster which IS highly priced for
its quality, called a Milton native. There
are several others known as HeifOrd ma
tives. Carlingtords and P0ldOodies at
Dublin. In London the little deep-shelled
oysters called natives are the most es-
teemed; they are ali brought from arti-
1cial beds.
In France the French oysters mostly
come from the beds in the bays Of Cancele
and ST. BrieuX, from Marennes, from
Havre and Dieppe, from Dunkirk and the
Bay of BisCaY. Those from the Bay of
Biscay are very green and greatly ad.
mired. Oysters in France sell from > TO 3
francs a dozen. not 80 dear as London
prices. In 1855 NJ. Coste recommended
plans for the restoration Of oysters in the
I0A as anu III ANN in y VI Dhs DlltuA anu
ArenchOn, and the Isle Of Re, which has
resulted IN great success, and extends
along the entire Atlantic ana Mediterra-
mean coasts of France. Neapolitan Lake
Fusaio is the great oyster park OF Italy.
The oyster industry OF the world is
seated chiefly in the United States and
France. Great Britain also has a few
natural beds still remaining and a num-
Der Of we~ll-cOnducted establishments for
oyster culture which are supplied with
s ed oysters from continental oyster
parks. Canada, Holland, Italy. Germany,
Belgium, spain, Portugal, Denmark, Nor
way and Russia have also oyster indus
tries, which are, however, comparatively
Insignificant, and IN the case of the last
two countries hardly worthy Of considera-
ton in "A statistical statement.
BY a late report, the oyster industry Of
the United states was shown 20 employ
52.SO5 persons and to yield -. 195, $40
bushels. valued at $30.l3S.S12 France in
1881 employed 2j.i3l persons, producing
oysters valued at S3,46l,56j. The industry
OF Great Britain Yielded - product valued
at from t2,ol1.O 900 10 $4,000 Holland
was shown 10 nave a considerable indus
try III the province OF ICELAND. and to
have produced native and cultivated oys-
ter8 10 the value OF 100000. Germany
has an industry on the Schleswig coast
valued $40 about 100000, while the pro-
I ducts OF other EurOpean COuutrips npn-