The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-04-15
ION AN OYSTER FARM.
VISIT TO THE NEW STYLE PLAN
TATIoN OF JOHN F. CoLBURN.
Bivaives On the Market
Very Soon, Now.

tives of the Bulletin and STAR EN-
joyed the handed hospitality
of Mr.. and Mrs. John +. Colburn
at Pearl City peninsula Sunday, and
had the pleasure of inspecting the
new oyster industry at that place.
The visit resulted in a revelation
of more than ordinary interest, it
now being apparent that the oyster
industry, which has enlisted so
much attention Of late, can be made
success in this country. Choice
oysters are there in abundance, of
fine size and best flavor, and one
month from today Honolulu will be
supplied every morning with BIZ
valves.
Mr.. Colburn's farm house is on
the west lock, in a locality where
1.-THE merry summer breezes blow
auspiciously." In front of this is a
lagoon. several acres i'll extent and
from one to two feet deep at low
tide. This is the oyster farm. A
dam with gates breaks the force of
the water from the lock, and gen
tie flow from an artesian well
tempers it, reducing the ratio of
saline matter to less than one half
the quantity found i'll ordinary sea
water. The oysters are planted
along the shore in a few inches Of
water. In this locality fourishes
specie of limu from which the
seeds derive strong punishment.
There are 20, 600 frying size" oys-
tiers in the farm, their black, knotty
houses lying like stones in a noun
tain stream, one to three inches
apart. Several were opened on the
spot and the flavor found to be ex.
ceedingly fine.
A little more than two years ago
Mr.. Colburn imported his first lot
of 500 oysters as an experiment.
They were soon followed by 1900
more. Both shipments were of
bivalves one year old. Other
shipments have since been
made, usually in small guam
titles. The oysters began
breeding and now the young may
be seen in numbers clinging to the
rocks and other ve-y hard sub
stances. Through many discour-
agements Mr.. Colburn has contin
ued his study of the industry and
his experiment.
The oyster does not thrive Of his
own volition. He is almost an
arbitrary creature. He is as help
less as stone, and depends for
living upon what comes to him
Plant him OH his back and, unless
something kindly turns him over,
his top parts will point downward
all the days of his life. He has
power only to open and close the
mouth of his shell. When feeding
row of fine filament enables him
to discard foreign substances. He
must therefore be planted in water
containing sufficient digestible ma
te:ial. Mr.. Colburn's lagoon seems
to have stood this test very we'll.
Another thing with which Mr..
Colburn has had to contend is
keeping his crop of bivalves out of
the mud. When an oyster sinks
into the mud, which is the general
tendency, he quickly smothers.
Every now and then they have to
be picked up and placed on new
foundations. A rock base would
meet the requirements in one way,
but would cut off the supply of
vegetable matter in the water
without which the oyster can not
exist. Mr. Colburn is saving all of
his old shells and will use them to
stiffen the bottom Of his farm.
That is found to be the est known
remedy. These are but few of
the attentions required. Mr. Col
|
tails that go to make an oyster
farm concern that can be culti-
waited only with time, perseverance
and close attention.
On the 18th of May Mr.. Col
burn will make the start for which
he has worked more than two
years. A lot of oysters will be
taken up in the shell and brought
20 Honolulu. A market will be
started at Mr.. Hugh McIntyre's
grocery store, corner of King and
Fort streets. Every morning 4
fresh supply will be sent in from
the farm. This will be kept up
permanently. Seed oysters will be
constantly imported in large guam
titles until such time as the farm
may be able to sustain itself against
drainage.