The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-22
NHYNOTOYSTERS?
IGr. Armstrong on a Fav-
orite Subject.
fIa Points Ouc How PrOfitabl -
land Industry Might b,
Built Up,

asked Mr. w. y. Armstrong what
progress has been made in oyster cul-
ture in these Islands.
Mr.. Armstrong replied that no prog
ress had been made. He was then
asked if it was improbable that it could
be successfully established here. He
replied:
1T will be established here when the
right man takes hold of it in the right
way. 1t must be started like any ether
industry. 1t is a simple affair when
we'll understood; but someone must
take hold of it earnestly, and then it
will be successful"
He was asked what reasons there
were for confidence in it's success. He
replied:
The great mounds of oyster shells
near Pearl Harbor show that the oys-
ter was common here in past times, but
an upheaval OF the Island raised the
oysters above the water and killed
them. Those that are found at pres
ent are inferior because they are not
growing in favorable localities, and
the shells are too thick, owing TO an
excess of lime in the water; nor are
they the right species. Excellent oyS-
teIs are found in Tahiti, on the coasts
OF Cuba and Mexico, in the warm lati-
tudes. Tests of the water in Pearl
Harbor show that it is very similar to
that of the Chesapeake bay, which is
the largest ground in America. The
food of the oyster, which is a ''diatom,
or invisible vegetable plant, is abund-
ant here because Eastern oysters
planted here get food and grow.
The oyster mas many enemies, such
rs the stingaree, startish crab and drum
nsh. They destroy the young or hail
grown. In San Francisco bay they
make pens with boards closely fastened
luseLner. In these the oysters are
placeu and proIecIed. II a single plan
- Cahen ouL the SIIngaI eeS set III anu
ueSLIUy them MILn 81 eat lapIulty. Ia
l-U..S Island Sound Lne SLdruSn WIII
destroy Mdny thousands OF DuSneIS Oh
1nom al one night. Inc planters Keep
sleam aIeuSeIS at WORK, ana aIIer get
lIns Il uuCnloau OIL stInSaI eeS Cast Inoni
aauuie ana make nSn manure out o.
lIieIl.
"A single female oyster will throw
out during one season Ii ON TOUR nlIi-
Mons 10 nICy mIluonS or eggs: lnese
esas attach themselves 10 smooth sur
Ia,e IN the water ana then grow. but
Be4 MAPS only nIly out OF THESE millions
vi essS viii hasten and grow. linen
muu smoCneTS them, storms wash Sdnu
mo Inem aha XIII Unem, and the enc
Ines uestlOy them.
The Qecl ease III the oyster supply OF
the Atlantic coast mas caused mucn
study or late to he gwen TO the SUBJECT.
Inc STATES OF Maryland and Virginia
have about /, 5UU,UUV acres or lana un-
Ger the waters or the chesapeake Day
more or less suitable for oyster breed
ing Some years ago the state OF
maryland appointed Commission for
the purpose or examining the subject.
Professor w. n. brooks of the johns
Hopkins University was one OF the
1nelr report Was eX-
nduS,IVe. / was with them a part or
the time while they examined the Oys-
ter beds. | am now interested IN sew
eral hundred acres of ground on which
oysters are planted. While the oysters
aIe constantly beng destroyed, there
ae enough lett to supply the markets,
although the price has risen. Inc Oys-
ter men are following the scientific ad-
vice gwen to them by Professor
brooks and others, and are gradually
the supply by better meth
obs OF cultivation.
oysters should be the cheapest fish-
food IN our market. The capacity OF
Peall Harbor and Kaneohe bay are suf-
ficient to supply the needs of hall IA
million or more of people"
What would you do, if you under
took to raise them here?'
Il should follow the French method,
which is most successful. 1t is called
pare" or pond cultivation. Make an
artificial pond near the sea. One acre
is more than sufficient at first The
walls should be solid and prevent crabs
and stingarees from entering it.
would divide it into three parts. After
sea water to the depth of a foot has
been admitted, through wire cloth, l
should plant both the Eastern oyster
and the California oyster, which is one
of the finest in America. They might
be two years in getting acclimated
perhaps more time would be required
before they began to breed. The eggs,
or spawn, would attach to smooth
stones placed in the pond. The ar
rangement should be such that the
tides would flow in and out, bringing
food from the ocean and streams. But
the water should pass through wire
netting, so as to keep the enemies out
The French remove the half grown
oysters from one pond TO the next one,
where they are left until mature. in
two years. All this art of cultivation
is as simple as growing taro, if it is
understood.
An acre of ground under cultivation
should produce 100000 good-sized oys-
ters every two years. Some grounds
III the Chesapeake bay will produce
500, 900. Oysters will mature here in
two years because there is no cold
weather TO suspend the growth
Does the cultivation rpOuirp much