Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-12-05
OYSTER CONSUMPTION.
The Delicious BIvalve Ii Rapidly Becom.
Ing q Food Staple.

the Delicious Bivalve Ii Rapidly BeC0m.
Ing Food Staple.
This mollusk, which in Roman times
was luxury attainable only by the
rich epicure, and which to this day in
Italy is produced only in small uuanti-
ties, has become in the United States.
and is tending to become in England
and France, recognized staple of gem
| eral consumption. Its incomparabl BILE
digestibility when eaten raw and its
susceptibility of prolonged preservation
when steamed and packed in air-tight
cans have rendered the cultivation of
this shell-ish a subject of careful STUDY
on the part of the economist and the
legislator. The processes Of culture are
in some countries defined by statute,
and it is a noteworthy fact that in En-
gland the law forbidding the removal of
oysters from their beds during Nav,
June, July and August, which was re-
pealed in 1865, was re-enacted ten years
later, and is now enforced.
The statistics of the oyster are likely
to surprise those unfamiliar with the
part which it plays in the markets of
the world. 1t is computed that the
number of oysters Gncluding both ma.
tives and those artificially bred) an
AN@1AJ OohOA AEOHu Ou0 WdO0fS Oh N1r6aG
Britain is LOCO, 900, 900. This product
implies yearly consumption of forty
bivalves per head of the population.
But Great Britain also imports oysters
from the United States. The value of
this trade, which in 1874 was only SAL
900, had risen in 1888 to 1871, 600. and is
now, no doubt, much greater. The OUT
come of the oyster fisheries of France,
which ranks next among European con-
sumers, is estimated at $50, 900, OOO
Then come Holland and Italy, which,
however, can only procure respectively
21,soO,000 and 10000, o0U year. The
Italians, by the way, only practice oys-
ter culture in the Bay of Tarentum.
The Ostend oyster is famous for it's
flavor. but the whole yield of Belgium
is only 1850, 900, which could be easily
disposed of by few Paris restaurants.
Oysters are particularly dear in st. Pc
tersburg, because they must be import
ed, only $50, 900 being procurable from
Russian waters. Spain and Portugal are.
also. badly off, obtaining collectively
only 100000. The whole number of
oysters annually gathered from the sea
in Europe is about 2, 331, 900, 600. OF
these by far the greater part are the
PAONuSO Va SySGomaGLC culture, Tor the
native beds have long since been prac-
tically destroyed. Scarcely more than
seven per cent of the oysters eaten in
Europe pass directly from the native
beds into the hands of consumers.
Very different is the oyster record
of the United States. The number
of these mollusks annually taken
from our waters is computed at
$3.50, 5000, O00-equivalent to yearly
of more than eighty
five oysters by every man. woman and
child. Moreover, from thirty to forty
per cent. of this colossal product are
carried directly from their native beds
to market. According to the tenth CEN
sus, this industry employed some 3d.
600 persons, and its product was three |
times as valuable as that of the cod
fishery. We may mention, finally, that,
when the last census was compiled, |
eighty per cent. of the total yield of |
the United States was obtained from |
the waters of Chesapeake Bay.-N. Y.
LEDGER