Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1894-01-04
AN OYSTERMAN TALKS.
SOME FACTS OF INTEREST
ABOUT THE BIVALVE.
Experiments in Oyster Culture What
an Engiishman Has Accomplished
Fighting the Star-Fish.

an hShsnman mas Accomplished
Fighting the Star-Fish.
In one important respect, says veteran
New York oyster dealer, the oyster eater
OF this day is more favored than the
oyster eater OF half century ago. The
art OF breeding the bivalyes is far better
understood Several new varieties have
been introduced, each with distinctive
flavor. Some of the planters have even
got SO far as to feed their beds, and sue
coed in obtaining much richer product
than was ever known before.
There is as much knowledge and
Judgment to be shown in raising oysters
as there is in cultivating flowers. Some
years ago brought cargo of oysters
from bed near Douglastown. None of
them were larger than the palm of your
hand, 1t occurred to me to try an ex-
pertinent, to see if l could not make them
attain the size of the Saddle Rock, which
are grown in bed not far from where
those came from. | took about half a
ton OF them and set them up sideways,
In rows, on layer Of seaweed in my Gel
lar. They had plenty of fresh air and
as much light as they would receive
lying ia water at a depth of twenty feet
Two or three times a week | scattered
dry meal over them and every morning
sprinkled them with fresh water.
1 had been led to make this trial by
noticing that some meal that had acct
dentally fallen into basket of oysters
was quite eagerly devcured by them, and
that the oysters that partook Of this un-
expected banquet differed in flavor from
those that had not partaken, although
all were of the same kind The result
OF the experiment justified my expecta-
ton. In the course of few weeks |
had in my cellar half ton of oysters
that averaged in size with any Saddle
Rock | had ever seen and in flavor far
surpassed any of the latter | had ever
tasted
| think the time will come when the
idea thus suggested will be generally
acted on by oyster planters, and that ex-
periments with different kinds of Dutri-
tious food will result in a great improve
ment in the quality and character of the
blvalyes. am at present experimenting
with some Blue Points, not with view
to increase their size, but to fatten them
and develop the peculiarly delicate flavor
for which they are distinguished
Everybody who knows anything about
the chemical constitution of an oyster
knows that the worst thing you can do
with it is to cook it. Some people can
not eat it raw, and yet that is the only
true way to eat it. Cooking it really
changes its character. Eaten in its nat
ural state it is the most digestible of all
food, because of the very large proper
ton OF pepsin it contains But the heat
destroys the pepsin and renders the
oyster as indigestible as tough meat.
Shortly after the Centennial Exposition
at Philadelphia an English merchant,
residing in Liverpool, came to see me
upon the subject of trying to cultivate
the American oyster in English waters.
! He said that the attempt had been FREE
quently made, but always failed, and he
proposed to try it himself. He wanted
me to send him over some seed oysters.
| told him could not understand why
it was impossible to raise good oysters in
England. | thought if the plant were
properly looked after and stimulated at
the start there would be no trouble. He
u,
north of Liverpool, for the experiment
wrote out full instructions for him to
follow, and sent some of the sturdie st
seedlings could get. In the course of
two years he reported to me that his
plant was doing well and he was very
hopeful of ultimate success. When last
heard from him he said he was produc-
ing an oyster, not indeed equal to the
American stock, but far superior to any
to be had in the London or Liverpool
market.
Last year most of my beds were raided
by starfish. They came down the Sound
from New London and played havoc
with the crop as far as they went. They
are the worst enemies the oyster has.
They attack it while eating, inserting
their suckers between the jaws of the
oyster and apparently paralyzing it.
During the past summer the beds were
regularly patroled by boatmen with nets
and graphing hooks. Millions of
startish were then caught and destroyed.
The consequence is, that in spite of the
damage done to the plants, the supply
this fall is larger than it has been since
these raiders began their depredations.