Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-12-13
HOW DUTCH RAISE OYSTERS.
Infinite Patience Is Exercised In
Bringing Up the Bivafve
by Hand.

by Hand.
The perennial discussion over the
question of the cultivation and pro-
lection of oysters along the shores Of
the Chesapeake makes the methods
in use in other parts of the world of
great interest to all Marylanders-
those who are not engaged in the
oyster industry of the state as well as
those who are. One of the most novel.
according to American ideas, and
picturesque ways of raising the bi-
valves is hat of the people of the
Netherlands, say the Baltimore
American. The center of this indus
try in Holland is the little town of
Goes, on the island of South Beveland,
in the province of Zealand. Nearly
every one in the town gets his or her
living from the fisheries, and the
greatest feature of them all is the
oyster industry. Whole families are
engaged in it all the year round, and,
if the pecuniary results are not very
large. a comfortable livelihood is the
result.
The most important part of the
work begins in April. when the col
lectors are placed in position. These
are rounded tiles. about a foot long,
which are covered with mortar. On
these the white sDat or ova of the
oysters finds Judgement, and from
800 to 400 larvae will become attached
to a single collector. The larvae are
about 1-150 of an inch long. and float
IN H. -,~fo.a ~ 41a rr-o4a,. r.D4iI +hnr
stick to the collectors. The latter
are gathered in boxes about eight
feet long by two feet wide, and are
so arranged as to admit of a free cir
culation of sea water. BY August the
collectors have generally become pref
ty well covered. and they are then
taken ashore to be cleaned. This job
is attended to by the women. who
wear a picturesque and serviceable
costume, consisting of tightly fitting
red flannel knickerbockers, black
stockings. a shirt waist with the
sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and
an odd-looking s~unbonnet. Their
duty is to cleanse the young oysters
from all kinds of impurities, as well
as to remove the small shells which
might interfere with the oysters
growth. After this operation the
tiles are replaced in the boxes, where
they remain until the autumn. At
this season they are taken out again,
and the oysters have grown to the
size of a silver quarter, and are old
and strong enough. to take care of
themselves without anything to cling
to. and they are consequently re-
moved.
Most of this work is also done by
the women who seem to be more ex-
pert than the men. It is not an easy
job. for too hasty an attempt to effect
a separation may result in an injury
to the thin she'll of the mollusk. In
spite of all the care taken, there is a
loss of from 20 to 25 per cent. Of the
oysters. A oma holds the collector
in her hand. and usually a specially
made pair of scissors to remove the
young oyster from the collector. The
moIlusk's next station in life is in
what is known as an ambulancs,
which is an apparatus designed to
protect it from its various enemies.
The ambulance is a long. shallow box.
with wire netting at the top and
bottom. through which the water
a pass freely, but which keeps fish,
crabs. ETC.. on the outside. The boxes
contain as many as 1900 oysters. and
are firmly staked down to the bot
tom of the water.
The oysters remain in these boxes
for three months. during which time
49, Ill J1-Ix 49,
frequent washings. At the end of
this time they are from two to two
and one-half inches in diameter.
They are then large enough to be
sold. but there rs not much profit in
oysters of that size. SO that they are
thrown down in the. water. being now
large enough to take care of them
selves. and allowed to remain there
for two or three years. After they
reach the age of three years they
do not grow n more, so that there
is no object in keeping them any
longer. and they are. accordingly.
sold. These various processes require
much patience and skill. and it is
likely that the Chesapeake beds will
be considerably more depleted than
they are at present before such a
system is introduced here.
A Lovers Quarrel.
Mater-Mary's young man has left
already, and she las just gone 60 her
room i'll tears. / wonder what the
matter is?
Pater-Giye it up. What are you
laughing about. Willie?
"They had a scrap; / heard 'em.
Sis said she was givin' him more
kisses than he was a-givin' her, and
be said it wasn't so. Then they both