Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-03-09

OF the business it would seem that by
some manner of means the beds
should be placed beyond the reach of
frost. Every winter they suffer more
or less from this cause, but it has been
several years since freeze so disas-
trous in its effects as the one of last
month has occurred; nevertheless the
liability of its recurrence at any time
must be taken into all calculations of
profit and loss in the business as at
present conducted. There is one way
of overcoming this difficulty which has
been tried on small scale with sue
cess and that is, after having selected
the plot which you wish to plant with
oysters, to rake to the edges the mus
cles thereon, and into and upon the
wall thus circumventing the bed there
will work sufficient of mud and other
debris to retain enough water at low
tide to cover the oysters and thus pre-
vent their freezing. Some parties who
are contemplating filing upon and
planting beds in the bay at Olympia
during the coming season, expect to
employ this method.
/ was informed that there was one
bed OF five of six acres at the bay which
is dyked in with brush and that this
simple wall retained enough water to
prevent injury to the oysters thereon
during the last freeze. There is an
other way of securing the same re-
suit, which is used often upon the beds
of Long Island, and doubtless in other
parts of the East That is to remove
the oysters in the fall of the year
from the beds between high and low
tide to water deep enough to keep
them covered during the winter.
Where this is done, of course, the pro-
cess of gathering in winter must be
either by longing or dredging.
There are many arguments in favor
of this latter method, in fact the only
one against it being the labor re-
| quired, but when the extra benefit re-
ceived is taken into account this OBJ
lection has no weight, even when
tested in tho critical balance of profit
and loss. 1t is generally conceded by
the oystermen that, like other animals,
the oyster is benefited by change OF
pasture now and then. The summer
is the chief feeding season, and then it
needs to be where it can get the seep-
age or fresh water diet, upon which it
thrives, and in the winter, when it
lives chiefly on its own flesh, like the
bear, it does we'll in deep water, resting
secure from the bites of Jack Frost.
There is in this method the further ad-
vantage of being able when shifting
the beds to free them from muscles,
which has to be done in any event,
and can be done at this time with lit
tie extra expense. Mr.. Taylor in
formed me that he intended to try
this method with some of his beds
next fall
THE OUTLOOK.
This species of food, though per-
haps classed among the luxuries, is
considered by the majority of people
as one of the necessities of the table.
Ut course, tastes differ in this as in all
things, but it is safe to say that in the
estimation of majority of the people
OF the Pacific Coast the oyster of Puget
Sound suffers in a comparison with its
Eastern relative only when the ques-
ton OF size is taken into consideration.
BE that as it may, the question of dis
tance precludes the shipment O. East
ern oysters here, and it is certain that
this coast must supply not only itself,
but eventually large section of coun-
try inland, with this food.
There are considerable beds of oys-
tiers in Shoalwator Bay, and dealer
who saw some of them in Portland last
week, said he did not think they had
suffered severely so from the late freeze
as had the oysters of the Sound. The
same dealer says they are, however,
vastly inferior to the latter in flavor
and can never supplant them in the
markets
1t seems reasonably certain that the
inhabitants of the future great cities OF
the Coast must look to Puget Sound
TO supply them with this article of
food and immediate provision must be
made or we shall not be able to meet
the demand. Indeed We are not able
now as has been clearly demonstrated
this winter, even before the freeze
cnrtailed the supply. Olympia deal
ers at the beginning of the present
season supposed the supply would far
: exceed the demand and solicited Or
ders which came in such quantity
that they were unable to fill them and
at the time OF the freeze were weeks
behind their orders. Portland has
had the bulk of the oysters shipped
} from here this winter though the
dealers say the Sound country would
: have taken the entire output of Oyster
Bay could they have secured it. Sc
: attic has had standing orders here for
100 sacks per week, Tacoma and Vic
toria each about 25, and other places
in proportion to the population.
Spokane Falls, Walla Walla, and other
, cities east OF the mountains sent in or
ders during the first part of the season
but when in addition from to So to 81 as