The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-15
NATURE OF THE OYSTER.
Facts Presented by the Government
Fish Commission.

The fish commission has just issued
valuable report on oyster culture. Inc
report is written 10y Mr.. ii. 4. Moore III
forms a complete treatise on the culture
of oysters in tho United States, ana
gives, in detail. the results Of the com
missions experiments.
The fish commission Acknowledges,
frankly, that artificial propagation -
in the fish culturists sense, the raising
of oyster fry from artiflcially fertilized
eggs-has at the present time no place In
practical oyster culture. lt may, per-
haps, somo time demonstrate its appll-
cability to system of spat production In
small closed ponds. Dut it can have abso-
lutely no use la the present methods oil
oyster growing 1t is futile to expect any
results from the deposits OF the swim
ming fry upon beds planted in the open
waters OF the bays and sounds, were the
conditions are usually such as would
bring about wide distribution. Fry so
deposited would no doubt be largely car
riel TO other beds, ana bo lost to the
man who planted them, or else would
fall upon unsuitable bottom. Their fate
after being deposited in tho water would
be so uncertain that, in the present
state of our knowledge, it would be a
waste of effort for either government
hatcheries or private individuals TO at
tempt To increase the oyster by such
means.
If, however, there can be devised some
successful method Of closed-pond produc-
tioD, then artificial propagation may find
a field of usefulness. Elaborate expert
ments have been made by the scientists
attached TO the commission, especially
by DIR. Ryder. An experiment made at
pond excavated in the salt marsh on
the shore of Chincoteague Bay Is reported
in detail, and 1t Is stated that 46 days
after artiiicially fertilized ova had been
placed in the pond young spat from one
fourth to three-fourths of an inch long
were found attached to the bunches OF
shells which had been provided as n0l-
lectors. These experiments demonstrated
that spat could be raised in ponds from
artidcially fertilized eggs, and that 1t
In the open bay. But it appears prob
able thai equally good or better results
might have been attained with far less
labor by placing n quantity of spawning
oysters in the pond.
OF artificial feeding, the report speaks
with equal disparagement There is no
practical way now known of furnishing
oysters with en- artificial food supply
Experiments have been made with view
to feeding the adult oyster upon corn
meal. or similar substance. but such
attempts have been OF no practical value
There Is doubt that they would eat corn
meal. or any other substance. in suili-
oently fine state. The oyster is incapable
of making selection of it's food, and
probably any food substance, nutritious,
inert or injurious, would be swept into
its mouth with complete Indifference.
except as 10 the result. Corn meal or
similar substances would doubtless be
nutritious, but their uso must be so
wastcful that the value of the meal would
be greater than that of the oysters.
The so-called "fattening" OF oysters
for a short time previous 10 sending them
TO market is not IA fattening process at
all, but is a device of the trade TO give to
the oysters an Elusive appearance of
plumpness. 1t adds nothing whatever to
the nutritivo qualities of the oyster, but,
on the contrary. injuries its flavor and
extracts certain Of its nutritive ingredi-
onts.
The process of "plumpins" consists in
changing oysters from denser to loss dense
water. causing an interchange of fluids
through tho walls of tho oyster. the
densor fluids In the tissues passing
slowly outward, tho less saline water in
which the animal is immersed passing
more rapidly inward. The net result is
To cause swelling OF tho tissues by an
increase Of the fluid contents in much
the same manner as dry sponge swells
when moistened. The oysters are not
usually placed in absolutely fresh water
which would kill them If exposed too
long. but in water that is fresher than
that in which they have been living.
Tho. fluids which pass out carry with
them salts ana some lhJs, cHeiHlChl eA-
pcriments showing that the oyster. al
though larger after Pumping, has lost l3
per cent Of its original nutritious sub
stances. protein, fats. carbohydrates. and
mineral salts. Sufficient water will DO
taken up, however, to increase the total
weight from l2 TO 20 ger cent. The same
result is produced by placing the oysters
in fresh wnter after they have been re.
moved from tbs she'll The oysters simply
gain water. not food. The report states
that "plumping, while not harmful in
itself. may be attended with danger
Oysters may, and no DOUBT sometimes do
consume disease germs with their food.
and such germs transferred TO the human
anatomy with vitality uniinpared may
upon occasions have serious results
Care should be taken in fattcnng tho
oysters that the water is absolutely free
from communicating influences of sewer
discharge and other sources of pollution
IL will be recalled that some time ago a