The Osceola times., 1885-02-07
FARMS NO EYE HAS SEEN.
Eastern Oyster beds and the Method of
Planting and Harvesting the Crops.

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Oysters are raised by cultivation, just
as fruits and vegetables ore. They are
found in all seas in from four feet to six
fathoms of water. and never at S;great
distance from the shore. They are
most abundant in the quiet waters Of
gulfs 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
Chesapeake Bay and the Hudson River.
but Of late the oyster reapers have Sc
cured the seed, or spat, as the fisher
men call il, during the spawning sea-
son, and new grounds have been utilized
until the area Of the oyster beds can be
measured by townships, and is constant
ly extending.
Although there is no such thing as
buying the beds Of any of the public
waters, yet oyster grounds are, in u
manner, bought and sold in this way.
A Hltu vi u toihl'iifN Will ti'hi UP "
new place and begin raising oysters. II
these men wish to go out of the busi-
ness they sell their squatter's right to
their bed. The right is recognized
in the business, and such sale
holds good by common consent.
The spat gathered in the spawn
ing season is scattered over the
beds from which oysters have been
gathered or on newly-preparcd ground,
as the case may be. Here it lies from
one year to five or six years. Rocka-
ways lie about one year and Sounds
from three years to five years. The in
crease is from three to six baskets for
every one of spat. The chances, as Il
rule, are in favor of good crop, but
the oystermen have many things to con-
tend with, so that it sometimes happens
that when they go to gather the oysters
they find either dead ones or none at
ALL The oyster has its natural enemies,
such as the drum-fish and star-iish,
which destroy great many, and, in the
second place. the ground sometimes
proves unsatisfactory. Sometimes a
heavy weight of grass grows fast TO
them, and, pressing them down in the
mud, smothers them, or.wben they are
on sandy soil, storm will occasionally
cover them entirely with sand. Howcv-
er, with the constantly improved meth
ods of cultivation, means are being con-
tinually devised 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 the New York waters are stored for
winter use.
Down on West street, a few blocks
north of Canal street, little fleet Of
oyster boats. packed together like sar-
dimes in box, may be seen any day de-
livcring their cargoes. How one ever
gets out is a profound mystery. The
boatmen themselves say it often takes
half day to get one clear of the rest.
They are small. single-masted, and each
carries jib. They vary In length be-
tween thirty feet and forty feet long.
They cost between $500 and $4,000
apiece, according to their size ana the
manner in which they are fitted up.
There are also great many steara
tugs in the business. Each boat usually
carries five men. The Wholesale deal
ers, who have their houses upon RATS
along the dock, own or have an interest
In most of these boats. One dealer will
often own number of sail-boats, or an
interest In several. and perhaps a num-
Der of tugs as well. There are. how
ever 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. 1t has bag hanging
from the back of it, made of iron links.
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 contents are
emptied on board. 1t is either dragged
by the sail-boat with spread canvas or
worked by steam.
When boat has load Of oysters,
which is from 1000 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 a fine, plump ap-
pearance for market, and also to sup
ply 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 dealers. Oysters are classi-
fled according to their size, as extras,
box. cullins and cullentines. Some Of
the dealers open the oysters that they
handle, while Others simply deal in
them in the shell. The openers get one
dollar thousand for opening the oys-
ters, and one man can open from 5000