The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-05
rHE oYsrra or corwsnc-.



Thsu Aaywh re Zee.
The hero who was the frst man 10 swallow
an oyster would be astounded n he could read
part OF recent bulletin OF the United States
Fish Commission and see what an important
industry he started all by himself This bull
letin tells about the oyster business in MARI
land; but as Maryland produces one-thlrd Of
the worlds oyster product. the story Of the
industry In that state contains about ell that
IL necessary to an understanding OF the i'm
portsnce Of the oyster OF com merce.
OF the 35.O0o.Oo0 bushels Of oysters pro-
duced In the world each year nearly 1000. 900
bushels are natives Of the United States and
more than 100000 bushels come from
Maryland waters The value Of Marylsnd's
annual product is nearly $4,000, 600. that OF
the United States about sic. 900, 900. and that
OF the rest Of the worlds little more than
S12.5OO.OU0 IL will be noted that a higher
valuation per bushel 10 put upon foreign than
upon United States oysters. This IL because
good oJstsrs Ore cheap here. while poor oysters
are dear elsewhere. When q lover Of this del
icscy calls for oysters In q London eating
house he is asked II he will have
the best and when he says that he will
he eets sample Of Hollands product The
oyster beds OF Holland yield about 10000
bushels . year. and they are valued in this
computation at $4,000. or more than 50 .
bushel Maryland oysters are put down at a
shade over 90 cents bushsl; but there can
be no comparison between the succuient
morssl OF Maryland and the rugged old mol
lusk OF Holland. The latter. as eaten In
Europe. looks and tastes somewhat like an
ante-bellum copper cent spattered with acid
and sprinkled with pepper: and when the par
taker tackles this so-called deicacy from Hol-
land II seems to him that the chief difference
Hous :. re 9Sstsr and the seasoned cent
oIster might not.
True to bis purpose Of treating the oyster
author s.. PSint on 81 y5S" s 81:
not turned aside to give even casual
{; ss''P e.. ,ds sS the .'sb'Ss QUESTION
sysllowed an oyster; but he sets forth facts
which suggest the inquiry whether at least
on.trations OF the edibleness Of this mi Iiust Of
q ss po s.4SSs Italian
9 cultivated beds In LAKE Lucrinus about 1000
ssTs p age and SAYS A. much A. 70 say that
day. The, prehistoric shell mounds OF this
country show that the Indians were large
came Thus we and that the noble " American %sn
and the noble Roman were eating oysters.
% sSs issMn 81 ss VIA, :S
these shores did not bring with them the art
evident from no i siitns
OF John Smith, published in 1881. In which he
Ing in the way oi food from The waters Of fO The
Half a century. later IL was
writ tsa,r Of the Kep. I,lsnder. that ons
hundred year. later began the OYSTER asr, war
and and Srsn and i Is 9ns Ma X.
outbreak OF hostilities marks the 6eeinning OF
S The Fl sa ans x. in J r.:
vas worth flghting Tor. il 1. i'm possible to
Ike the revolutions In Central America. II IL
Saleldoseopie; Nothing but the latest tele- |
Flew, Of the situation up to date. Meanwhile
iespite the war. the development OF the Indus
q tS IN Mar rsH tIe oy.
er business took fret rank among the fishery
Industries OF the United States
sesn an important part Of the oyster business. !
Nobody has yet answered the ouestio that the |
s sRstboaaS 4 Known shs Sysss
hell Is three;fourths carbonate OF lime. and |
nrs9nase q lime T. valuable BECAUSE Of this
70 he converted from oyster shells mo egg
iucinG coal gas and In other Industries. Besides
hese uses oyster shells are utilized in restock-
'ans rsroa fnsts1 sssfs Of r tss a ana
lse may be seen on three or four railroads In |
dsrynI CIV and on the southern Pacific near
The boats mployed by the Maryland oyster
nen are an interesting feature OF the Industry. |
they began with the dugout canoe. and some |
4 the largest boats used In the business are
TIL canoes in shape. though not dugouts. |
The first canoes wers made Of sinCIs log |
md were small affairs. Then three. five. or
even logs were jolned together with wooden
mesa psake dugout is to fashioa the outside
ines Of the log or logs with an axe and plane |
NTH the regulation iorm OF canoe is secured;
'oat from the outside and drive wooden
'oat over and hsw out until the ii 10.
th. n way ho :h n. are sasoas 4.
made Of uniform thickness Some OF these
ssnoes last for many years The Martha
On q capacity OF nearly eleven tons
TIL In use. The bug eye Is a big canoe. but
evenly Ave feet long They are sharp at both
ais on two pole mssts With sharp rake at.
nd . lib. Some OF them are smart sAiiers. A
God example OF large Chesapeake bug.eys
urlng the past winter BESIDES the tyres Of
oats mentioned. sloops and schooners are
sed BY the ,oystermsn. and steam boats BIZ
h q !. ENGAGED g IN oyster trsnsp9'EEtatop
ongs out OF the water. he sometimes wonders
there Is any limit 10 the length OF the poles
no man can handle IN his small boat There
ongs are used on larger vessels. but they are
'orksd By halyards axed to the rigging. In
esp water the dredes q used, It Is q heavy
midas on Board TSer. ar. ~ 30 nam al
oyeEning the use OF tonEs and dredRss that
10 Maryland oystermAn must be a lawyer as
ell as sailor and fighter.
The oyster trade gives employment to q
Irge number OF girls and women. who work
! the shocking" and canning houses.