The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-30
OYSTERS REIGN IS NEAR
Season of the Succulent BIZ
valve Is Upon Us.
PROSPECTS OF THE CROP
At Present the Juicy MOlilusks Are
Thin, But Plentiful-wnI Fatten
with Cold Weather-Fleet Getting
Out in Readiness for the First
Month with an II.

There will be cornnotion in OysterIand
next Tuesday.
Don't be Clam" viii on September
l Cease TO lie a gocd Injunction in IIsiidoIn
Tor TO be ought eisc, especially al oyster,
Is TO be eaten Up; to be a clam Is To
be comparatively safe until next year.
Out goes tie ciaIn Ill comes the oyster.
BY cOinnioH cODseut anu by tie statute
laws of Maryianu ana Virginia. oysters may
De taken ifoIn the waters OF the lower
fotoiiiac and the Chesapeake bay from
September l until Aay 10. As 1, oous.-
Quence oI these prOs Isions and the popular
taste Ior the most euirie oI DlvaIyes tncre
WIFI De oysters Il plenty BEGINNING next
those VINO go GOWN To the sea i'll suIps the
puDllc OF washington will eat oysters:
oysters stewe,, - stefs steamed, oysters
broiled. oysters roasted, oysters escailoueu
and oysters deviled. -.--.
A trce. OF Iiity todts or more, com prising
all sorts OF craft known to the oyster bus;-
ness. here or elsewhere, has been for a
month undergoing the annual renovatmg
and repainting, caiking and rigging, and
many hours before Tuesday, September 1,
tue mem Ders OF the local fleet win cotutst,.
Tor first hunors in the great biyalyuIar
regatta OF the lower Potomac.
FLEET UNDER REPAIR.
A trip up and down the shore in the
vicinity OF Washington and Alexandria
SHOWS the repairing process to he In full
piase anu two scoie OF craft wnich last
-
the winters storms, are looking smart
and tim tiinew coiiss or paint and whltened
or new sails;
The local uealerS and restaurateurs too
are preparing Tor The CoDinS trade III O VS.
ters. ntedfneuoysters wDI 500 nbe pl aca rded
IN ut least three windows OF every square
ana sucn placards as have been left IN the.
Windows uunng the summer VIII take on a
new significance and cease to be an
unseasonabie annOunceDenJ of what tie
restaurateur hasn't in stock.
Talks with local Wholesale oyster deal
ers and officials or the oyster navy"
tnose hardy projectors OF oyster property,
Indicate that the oysters are unusually
thin at the opening OF the season this
year. The vessels comprising the navy
have within the last week tested the
principal beds in the lower Potomac and
the Chesapeake, with the result stated.
IL Is saIu that the oysters taken at the
beginning OF the season will not yield
more than one-half the bulk that is eX-
pected later as the oysters grow fat.
Not all OF the fifty or more ester boats
in the Washington fleet will go down the
river tomorrow. for there is not the eu-
couragement for fishermen that will be
afforded later in the season. This is on
account of the fact that Northern oysters
are used mainly TO supply the local mar
ket during the early weeks OF the season.
A MOTLEY SQUADRON.
motley fleet Is that which will be in
full commission by September 20. All sorts
and conGitions or craft are found in it.
They range from the 'bug-eye with its
canal-hke appearance, TO the two nlasted
schooner.
The former vessels are manned usually
by captain, mate and cook. who comprise
the sole navigatOrS of the little craft.
They come back with q cargo OF perhaps
$50 bushels. As for the scbOoners. they
operate mostly III the Chesapeake Bay and
supply the Baltim ore market. They carry
as large cargo as 5000 bushels OF
oysters each, - s''" t5aF5
Having paid their license fees of So
each TO the State OF Maryland or Virginia,
according to the contemplated field of
operations, the craftset cut on their years
work The so-called tobgnan" method
OF taking oysters IS the onIy one allowed
by law from September 1 to November
10. and from March 10 to April Is IN,
Maryland. ard from September 1 to No
vemper 3 and March 10 to Nay i in Viz
gima- During the lest Of the season. that
is, during the winter. the dredging system
is allowed.
The explanation OF this fact is some what
interesting.
longing is a method which can be
used by small boats. which can only operate
in smooth water aud in good weather.
Later. when the weather becomes cold
and the water rougheueI by wiuter blasts,
the smaller boats are drawn from the
field, aud IN order to supply the mar
ket, q more Wholesale method OF gather
ing oysters must be used Hence the dredg-
ing method.
The luck of oystermen depends almost
altogether upon the sonditions OF weather
brings JOY 10 the oystermau's beart; "a
nor'easter bripgs curses to his lips. In
good weather round trip to the lower
Potomac Is usually made in about o week.
THE RETAIL MARKET.
When a local dealer. wholesale OF retail,
needs supply OF oysters. he goes down
to the wharf at the foot OF Eleventh street
and makes dicker with the first oyster
man he sees. 1t may be, however,
that he has arranged with some fisherman
to take his cargo at 50 much a bushel and
the fisherman promises, barring tll-luck, to
be at the Eleventh street W harf On q Certain
day.
But many dealers buy their oysters Of this
one and that one OF the Oystermen without
special fear or favor. --- -----. 4. ..--,-
One OF the largest wholesale oyster deal
ers in Washington was asked last night
how many oysters were required to supply
the local market for the season. He re-
fiected Q moment and then answered with
the assurance OF one who has had long
Il should say. at least 80 900 bushels
per month for nine months