The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-12-10
Chat on Oyster Culture.

licious bivalve has been favorite with
epicures. When it was first used as
an edible is not given with definite
ness by historians, but it is known to
have been an article of food among
the Greeks and Roman. It's of much
Importance to the commercial inter
ests of the coast cities OF Europe, both
on the estuaries of the Mediterranean
Sea and those of Great Britain and
| Holland.
The oyster industry is of incalcula-
BILE importance to the Atlantic Coast
of the United States, made so by care
full cultivation and a scientific study
by growers.
Natural oyster beds were found on
Budds Inlet by the early settlers at
Olympia about fifty years ago and
other beds were found in Oyster Bay,
few miles from Olympia. The
oysters were small and to all appear
ances a distinct variety of bivalves.
The taste is essentially different from
that of the Eastern article. The story
IS told at Olympia that something like
twenty-five years ago two Olympians
went to San Francisco with fifty boxes
OF oysters for the purpose of selling
them to hotels and restaurants. The
| oysters were small and uninviting to
look at and no sales could lie made.
The promoters were disheartened. But
the American is equal to an emer-
gency and while cogitating on the
situation scheme that is often work.
ed occurred to them. They engaged
several men to go into restaurants and
call for Olympia oysters. Of course
the order was not filled, but the num-
erous calls had the effect of creating a
demand for the oyster and the fifty
boxes were disposed of. Since then
San Francisco became a permanent
market for the Olympia bivalves until
the growth of Portland and cities on
the Sound utilized the supply.
The pioneer oyster growers on the
Sound are J. A. Gale, A. ]. Smith,
David Helser, S. X. Taylor H. r.
Weatherall and Mrs. Harry Korter.
Mr.. Gale is at present Deputy Fish
Com missioner and is in the wholesale
oyster business in this city. During
territorial days he was Instrumental
in organizing the oystermen for the
purpose of reclaiming the natural
oyster beds and cultivating artificial
ones. Said Mr.;Gale this morning:
Cali the oysters procured from
Oyster Bay, Big Skookum Bay and
Mud Bay are now cultivated and have
been for years. Three-fourths of all
used come from cultivated beds. A
few are procured from natural beds in
Hoods Canal and on North Bay. The
state owns these latter tide lands and
they can be oystered by any one hold
ing license.
"Thurston and Mason counties pro-
duce about $4,000 sacks of oysters an
nually. There are nearly 400 acres of
cultivated beds on Oyster Bay alone.
The natural beds are about all occu-
pied, but by changing conditions other
tide lands may be prepared for oyster
cultivation. This year there is more
perceptible increase in the oyster
acreage than ever before, and it wi IL
in time be one of the states great in
dustrles. There are many varieties of
these oysters, the Shelton being tbe
largest.
"We do not have large enough
supply to can many, but those ship
ped East are fast creating a market
Mussels are the weeds of an oyster bed
and we work diligently to get rid of
the pest. In themselves mussels are
good to eat and the demand for them
is growing, but they kill the oysters
off and we must cultivate the latter
without interference. When the oys-
ters are gathered the beds are raked
clean, put on sink floats, the young
ones separated from those of market
able size, and all kept continually in
water. The oyster season begins Sep
tember /, although few are gathered
in every month of the year. One
thing should be remembered in cook
ing: Olympia oysters need to be wash
ed and the liquor is generally not us
ed. With proper care they never have
fishy flavor.
"I am often asked about the propa-
CATION of Eastern oysters on the Pacif-
ic Coast. One man, you know, spent
100000 experimenting at Alameda
and found that that kind of oyster
would not generally increase in West
ern waters. But we are constantly
experimenting on thatline and every
year with better success"
Souud oysters do not propagate the
same as the Eastern oyster. In fact
scientists are not wholly agreed as to