The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-08

I Mr.. Marsden, Mr.. Armstrong and
Mr.. Dimond visited Pearl River I.ochs
yesterday for the purpose of ascertain
ing the value of the grounds of that
river for the cultivation of oysters.
They were met at Pearl City by Mr..
J. T. Waterhouse, who gave them
every facility for making the exami-
nations. The ground first inspected
was that fronting on Mr.. Warehouses;
premises, lying south of the Peninsula.
Mr.. Armstrong says that he found the
lodges of coral reefs extending out into
the lagoon, to be hard, and covered
with little mud, and well protected
from the heavy weeds. The salinity
of the water was tested by the salino-
meter and registered 1.O27, which
shows thai the water is very salt, but
no more so than it is in many places
on the American and European coasts
where oysters are successfully raised.
Oysters on the eastern American coast
generally thrive best when the water
is little brackish, but should oysters
live and thrive on these grounds,
they could be shifted, from time to
time, to more brackish water. There
does not appear to be any danger from
excessive amounts of fresh water from
the mountains. After Inspecting these
grounds, the party sailed over the
lagOOns and examined a large area of
ground. The conditions of the grounds
appear to be favorable for oyster Guilt
fc, fro. h.
high winds, clean DO tom, and cur
rents sufficient to supply the oyster
with food. The services of a native
were secured and some Of the native
oysters obtained. These have extreme
ly thick shells, which may be due to
an excess of lime in the water, but
their growth proves that shell fish do
grow in these waters.
The fact that large banks of the shells
of the true oyster are found above the
tide levels, shows that in some remote
period they We're abundant. II is
probable that the action of earthquakes
the water and utterly destroyed the
species. Fortunately, if the trans
planted oyster does well, these shells
will be of great value in constructing
oyster beds. There is sufficient area
in Pearl River to raise all the oysters
needed in this city. Whether there
are enemies of the oyster which will
destroy it remains to be seen. So far
none are found. Whether the water
contains sufficient "diatoms," the
food of the oyster, can be determined
only by sending samples of the water
to the biological laboratory of the
Johns Hopkins University in Balti-
more. Probably the food is sufficient.
While experiments in oyster culture
have been made here and have not
been successful, it is by no means GER
tain that they We're made nnder the
proper conditions. Many attempts to
cultivate oysters were made in certain
localities in the States without sue
cess until the proper conditions were
obtained. It is only within a year, !
after many failures, that Eastern oys-
tiers were reproduced in San Francisc,
bay, the reason of the failure being
that for breeding purposes the waters
of the bay were to cold. While it is
not absolutely certain that the best
species of oysters will thrive here,
there appears to be no reason for their
not doing SO. Mr.. Armstrong believes
that Mr.. Marsden's enthusiasm and
energy will make it successful, as he
is now well instructed in the correct
method of making the experiments.