Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-03-10
OYSTER SHELLS.
The Various Uaea 60 which tho Enormous
Quantities Are Put.

The various Uses to which the Enormous
Quantities Are Put.
It has been estimated that 1000, 900
bushels of oysters are opened annually
in the United States, and that this rep
resents an accumulation of shells
amounting to not less than 24s, 800, 900
cubic feet, which if spread out would
cover a space of more than 450, 900 yards
square to a depth of three feet.
No doubt the majority of persons who
have assisted in eating the oysters con-
tanned in this enormous amount OF
shells seldom give o thought as to what
becomes of these rough, uncouth COW
erings. A few, perhaps, If questioned
on the subject, would be likely to re-
ply that the only way in which
they had seen them utilized was in fill
ing up and making roads, embankments
and wharves. Nevertheless, this is but
one of their many uses, as they are ex-
tensively employed in making "stoolB"
for new oyster beds, by spreading them
on the bottom of the bays and other
bodies Of water in which oysters are
propagated, thus forming a bed upon
which the spawn settles and grows into
maturity. They are also converted into
lime, serve as ballast for vessels, and
made into fertilizers. In addition to
this they play an important part in the
poultry yard, where, in a powdered
form, they are much sought after by
| those engaged in raising fowls of every
kind.
The early colonists used nothing but
oyster-shen lime, and in many parts of
New England there still exist mills and
lkilns devoted entirely to the industry
of converting the shells into that ma
terial. They have been used in max
ing a hydraulic cement, when mixed
| with clay and magnesia, and gave per-
| feet satisfaction, not only in laying
drains, coating cisterns and the like,
but also in making garden vases, fount-
aims and other ornamental objects ex-
posed to the elements.
| That these shells have been used for
fertihzing purposes for hundreds of
years is evidenced by the fact that
Canada, what is called "mussel-
mud" is dug out of the remains of
extinct oyster-beds by huge machines
adopted to the purpose, and spread in
thick layers over the land. This is
merely survival of an old custom, as
we are told that in early times they
/
for the same purpose.
MI. Ernest Ingersoll, a noted author
ity on the history of this favorite
bivalve, states that "along Pamlico
Sound. in North Carolina, when the
weather becomes warm and there is no
employment for their boats, the fisher
men rake up boat loads of rough
bunch or coon oysters and carry them
to the farmers to be sold and used as a
fertilizer, for which from three to five
cents bushel is paid" These ''coon''
oysters are seldom eaten, but are found
In immense quantities in Southern
waters, every stake, bit Of sunlen log,
Or the branches of fallen trees being
loaded down with them.
In the Northern and Easern States the
immense mounds of oyster, clam and
mussel shells found in various localities
along the coast prove inexhaustible
mines for agriculturists, who use them
as top-dressing for their farms. In the
neighborhood of Damariscotta, Me-,
there are mounds which are estimated
to contain not less than 5000, 900 cubic
feet of shells-a lasting monument to
the red mans Partially for crustaceous
food. Prior to being used the shell
must be burned, which is done in rude,
homemade kilns. A very amusing
story is told by Mr.. Ingerson relative
to the discovery of an old kiln which
was thought by its scientific finders to
be an aboriginal house until they found
the half of a well-baked brick at the
bottom of the observation-disclosures Free
Press,