The morning times., 1895-08-25
September Will Bring the Sue
culent, ToOthsOme Oyster.
MONTH OF THE MAGIC "R"
Dealers and the Fleet Are Preparing
for the Chestpeake's Harvest and
n Busy Season Is Predicted-Wash.
ington's Oyster Trade Yearly As
suming Greater Proportions.

Besides entering into the formation of the
word, there is noletter perhaps in the alpha
bet that has quite as much to do with the
oyster as the letter "R."
on it hangs the success or failure of the
trade in this delicious bivalve, for the deal
ers and epicures alike cling 10 the old super
stitiou that an oyster to be good and pala-
Ia BILE must be eaten during a month contain
ing that mystic letter.
SO September the 1st will witness the
formal opening OF the oyster trade and both
producers aud dealers are making all prep
arations for the event. True, the species
OF this shell fish known as the summer oys-
ster has a few friends, and quite number
are used during the heated months, but it
is universally conceded that they are far
inferior both in size and flavor to the oyster
which succeeds them during the winter
months.
In the fall the oyster which has been
spawning all during the summer begins
to get both larger nj fatter, and far more
preferable in many respects than those
cauGhtduring thesummer.
Washington is, perhaps, one or the best
oyster markets in the world, and it is
fact, though unknown to many, that more
oysters are sold and consumed i'll this mar
ket than any other city in the United States.
Baltimore for Il long time held this posi-
tion in the mercantile world, but the pro-
ducers discovered that they could command
better prices in this market than III the for
mer city, and have consequently FOR sew
eral seasons past been shipping here iii
larger numbers. During the season the
arrivals at the Eleventh street wharf aver
age from IL 600 to 10 200 bushels week,
and it is a remarkable fact that very few
OF the oysters which are landed at our
wharves are shipped to other points, but
find a ready market here.
THE OYSTER FLEET.
Over 200 boats and sloops, carrying any
where from 800 TO $500 bushels, are re-
quired to carry on the oyster trade from
the beds in the lower Potomac ana its trib-
utaries to washington. These boats in a
busy season average from one 90 two
trips every week, and the revenue derived
by their owners i'll oyster transportation
is considerable.
Cone, Pocomoke and Rappahannock Riv-
ers are the fields wherein the salt water
oyster seems to flourish best, and these
rivers furnish most OF the salt water oysters
used in the Washington market. The oys-
ters taken from these waters are usually
planted in the spring, and sometimes are
allowed to remain in the beds two years
Generally, however, they have matured
enough To allow them to be tonged and
shipped the following fall.
longing for oysters usually begins about
September / g, while the dredgers do not
begin work much before November l.
The price that oysters command on the
market is governed entirely by the weather,
and the market fluctuateS accordingly, for
when the weather becomes cold the demand
becomes much greater and the price cor
respondingly increases When the river is
frozen it becomes Necessary for the Wash
ington dealers to look TO Baltimore for
their. supply, and oysters are shipped in
large quantities 10y rail, increasing no little
the cost to the consumer.
The oyster business in this city is prac-
ticaly mOnOpolized by few well-known
dealers, who, besides supplying most of
the restaurants and eating houses, sell
to the numerous small dealers. The price
OF course varies but ranges ordinarily from
so cents to 81 so Ia gallon.
ON THE HALF SHELL.
There are perhaps as many oysters eaten
here raw as i'll almost any other city, and
the dealers are kept busy during the social
season supplying shell oysters for dinners
and other functions, For this purpose
mostly imported oysters aroused, the famous
Saddle Rocks and Blue Points, without
which TO well appointed dinner would be
complete, taking the place of the local
product
1t is quite a remarkable fact that very
few of the oysters brought TO this city
prove a waste to the dealer, and as the oyster
in winter is capable OF living ten or twelve
days after being taken out of the water,
they are enabled 10 sell most, If not all, of
those purchased for consumption.
The many boats comprising the oyster
fleet in winter are now transporting grain,
fruit and vegetables between river points
and the city, but in short time they VIII
find out that the oyster trade is far more
profitable and lucrative, and the wharf
at the foot of Eleventh street will once more
assume familiar look and the familiar
cry of the oyster huckster VIII be heard on
the streets.