Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-31
miscellaneous.
Where Oysters Grow.
THE VALUABLE DEPOSITS OF CHEsA.
PEAKE BAY AND TRIBUTARIES.

PEAKE BAY AND TRIBUTARIES.
The oyster industry of the Chesapeake
peninsula, when considered in its several
branches of planting. dredging, longing
and packing, is something wonderful. 1t
has expanded immensely during the past
ten years 1t was in 1857 that the nucleus
of this great industry was formed at Sea-
ford, Del. by company OF capitalists
from Fairhaven, Conn. At that period
the business was principally that of can
packing, and canned oysters commanded
a ready sale throughout the north and
east. Previous to this time the rich and
valuable deposits of the Chesapeake lay
and its tributaries, covering an area OF
marine territory of about 400 square
miles, were comparatively undeveloped.
Now. with largely increased demand
for it as an article of food. with introduce
ton Of improved appliances for facilitating
the taking of the bivalve from its natural
element and preparing it in various forms
for the market-canned, steamed, picked
and tubbed-with radical change in the
whole system of operations, and with the
augmented water and rail facilities for
cheap and rapid transportation, each re-
curing season witnesses very perceptl-
BILE increase in the magnitude of the In
dustry.
THREE VARIETIES OF THE BIvALvES.
OF the three varieties existing along the
Atlantic coast, those Astounding in Chesa-
peake bav are known as Ostrea Virgin
lana. or southern oyster. They are said
to be harder, develop more rapidly, are
more prolific and more tenacious of life
than the European varieties. Though
small. they are held in special favor on
account of richness of flaver and are pre-
ferred to the larger oyster on account
OF adaptabiity for stewing purposes. They
have acquired a wide reputation abroad,
as is evidenced in the enormous quanti-
ties which annually find their way to the
other side of the ocean. When it became
apparent that the oyster ''iarms" in for
eign waters were becoming rapidly de-
peted. the idea of introducing seed oys-
tiers from the Chesapeake bay to recuper
ate them was suggested. Its practicable
ty was seriously questioned. but recent ex-
periments have dssipated doubts, and
have demonstrated that the American oys-
ter can be safely transplanted and propa
gated As result of the success of the
experiment Europe has drawn heavily for
her supply upon the resources Of
American bays and rivers, particularly the
Chesapeake, until there are approximations
that, with the constant drain TO meet. the
increased demand for home consumption
and home trade, to furnish seed for local
waters and to keep up the supply for for
eign markets. many of the natural beds
will become extinct.
Notwithstanding the extraordinary fe
cundty OF the oyster, the young do not
develope with that rapidity to make the
beds sufficiently productive to maintain
an inexhaustible supply of merchantable
oysters. II is estimated that a healthy
spawn is capable of producing about
1.500, 900 spat, or young. but the multi
tude OF perils which these helpless, fra
gie atoms of marine life encounter from
the time they stake to rock"-i. e.. settle
down on the beds-untl they reach matu-
rity. such as meteorological influences,
ravages from the relentless star fish and
perewinkle leave but small per cent. OF
the marketable oyster in the bed. Added
to these the manifold local causes which
conspire to assist in depicting the Chesa-
peake waters and the grounds tor this APP
prehensiOn become manifest
THE SIMPLE PROCESS OF "SHUCKING"
There are two grades of oysters, known
as the "straights" taken indiscrimnately
from the bin, and the selects" or those
carefully "culled" The process of shuck-
ing is simple, and an expert and ndustri
Gus shucker will average about fifty gal
Ions per day of ten hours. The hammer
and knife are in general use, though here
they open the oyster by process called
"stabbing.' using a thin steel blade about
two and a half inches in length, and, in
stead of cracking the nib or the large end
of the oyster on the "bank" with the ham
mer, they insert the blade on the side, al
most in a line with the adductor muscle.
and by dexterous twist of the wrist.
throw off one valve, leaving the oyster
whole and solid in the other. Most of the
packing houses pay 10 cents per gallon;
Crstield shuckers receive 20 cents per
gallon.
BY careful computation there are EN-.
ployed in and about the numerous packing,
establishments in the Peninsula 5000
men. women and children. white and col
ored. in the various capacities OF shocking.
washing, transferring and packing
There are 500 boats called "orphans," or
boats that are not regularly engaged in
the business. but which are held in reserve
in cases of emergency. There are 1000
dredging vessels, averaging twenty-five
tons each, with 1000 canoes and smaller
craft, which tong" about six bushels
each. daily, during the season, which u.s.
ually begins about the 18th of September
and extends to the last of April; atmos-
pheric influence permitting, or IA sudden
transition from extreme cold to pro-
tracted warm. sultry spell of weather is
disastrous to the business. and phenomi-
nal thunderstorm in February is death to
the oyster. There are afioat on these
boats $4,000 men and boys. The aggre-
gate capital represented by the several
establishments is 100000. The pro-
duct for the year 1884 was 100000
bushels. with shipment approximating
q 900 0OO rallops Car (Htcuuo Herald