Evening journal., 1897-08-31

PERiL-PLAN OF WASHING THE
oYsTEG.
When the last shadows OF Summer
disappear tonight and the fresh
morning air heraIds the arrival OF Au-
tumn and the decline Of the year, there
will be one consolation for those who
must buckle down TO hard work again
among the good things of life VIII
appear the reed bird and oyster.
The latter luxury comes here chiefly
from New Jersey. There the state pro-
tects and nourishes the much-sought-
for relish. News comes from the rich
Maurice River Cove beds that the Statei
Oyster Commission has com pleted It's
Summers work OF reshelling the natu-
raj oyster beds along the Jersey coast
which have been denuded OF shell by
two centuries of working.
The oyster commissioners from Bay
Head TO Cape May report that present
indications point to fine yield this
Fall from both the natural beds and
the staked-off and planted beds of the
private owners
FINE OYSTERS AT MAURICE RIVER
Tomorrow morning at sunrise Mau-
rice hlNtI AONt Will b' ahA'hA1 NN'N~N
with a white-winged fleet, and the
seasons onslaught upon thef luscious
cove oysters will have commenced or
the 440 licensed boats, about one-half
will commence working the beds to-
morrow morning.
The Maurice River Cove oysters this
wear will far exceed previous years on
the first catch for lusciousness. They
are in the pink of condition, fat and
Juicy and of excellent flavor. Captains
and owners OF beds who have tried
their oysters report them In superb
condition. The old plants are better
than the young ones.
SLOW WORK GETTING MR.. OYSTER
There VIII be no new oysters in town
on the first lt isn't a matter OF mere
lv pulling the oysters up from the beds
and sending them up to the market;
they have to be sorted and washed and
nut In sacks. From the dredging boat,
piled with mucky- looking debris, the
{" rake" is sorted out on floats, the "ex-
tras" here, the primes there, and the
cuilns" at this end. The trash, broken
shells and young oysters are thrown
back on the new beds
The oysters ON the float rest just un-
der water, while the gentle ebb and
flow of the tide washes the sand and
dirt from them, and little crabs and
the tiny spawn that inhabit the upper
six inches cf the bays surface, scam
per in and out among the gaping
shells Commission men may clamor
and RESTAURANT keepers may tune, Dnt
the take must lie there floating in the
tide until It is washed
NOW FOR THE REED AND RATlA
The opening Of The rail and reed bird
season rs being looked forward TO by
hundreds of sportsmen with anticipa-
fions Of great pleasure. All living along
and near, the shores OF the Delaware
river and bay from Trenton to the
canes. know that the first OF September
has been recognized as the first day
for shooting these birds.
The States Of New Jersey, Pennsylva-
MIA and Delaware have made various
laws to. govern the opening day, but
older. gunners will tell that in years
gone by, when there were no laws tc
govern them in that line, the man ol
boy who shot and killed rail or reed
birds before September l was looked
upon with disfavor.
The Delaware river for at least sew
enty-five miles from near Trenton
-southward toward the capes is lined a
Intervals with marshes, while tributary
streams pouring into 1t are all more oi
less lined with them, where thes'
feathered travellers come annually Il
feed. TO hunt the rail and reed birC
in a boat pushed by an experience
''pusher" is one of the most fascinat
ing of all sports 1t requires little ex
ention on the part of the shooter, and
IL game is plentiful he will have FIRE
uuent opportunities to display his skill
There is some art in standing in
moving boat and keeping Stead,
enough to kill the rail birds as the.
81 get up before you, or bring down tn
uneven-hying "reedies" as they pas
over in 1Oclys above.
The breech-loading gun and the clin
ker-built light-draught skin are re
spOnsible in a great measure for tn
lessening OF these birds from year 3
year. until there are now comparative
~ few OF them visit us as compared +
former years.
fra tf Il. -
&, LOW RATE EXCURSION TO PHILA
DELPHIA, SUNDAY, SEPTEM
oi'a BER 8.
Pursuing its usual liberal DOlicv /