The Washington times., 1901-09-08
OYSTERS In AUSTRALIA.
Systematic Culture of the Biyalve
in New South Wales.
Methods Employed by Those En-
gagged in the Business-A Worm
which Creates Havoc in Some Lo-
caIities-A Remedy Badly Wanted.

The wholesale denudation of the lead
ing Australian oyster beds, especially IN
the eastern States of the Common
wealth. where the indiscriminate raw
ages of fishermen and holiday makers
have Induced a scarcity of the bivalVe
in localities where it was formerly
abundant. has given an impetus to sys-
tennatic oyster culture, more parucu-
larly in New South Wales. 1t has been
brought to something like perfection in
the vicinity of the Evans River, lying
between the Richmond and the Clar-
ence, on the coast north of Sydney.
There. on foreshores leased from the
State Government, shingles split from
felled redwood trees are laid out, to the
number of 10000. during the season.
These shingles are ? feet inches long
and inches wide. and are driven into
the soil about inches obliquely. in
pairs, each facing, so that when in po-
sition they resemble the gable end of
house.
The little gables are struck in be-
tween low water and half-tide mark in
July (the Australian january, so as to
be ready for the general fall of spat
during the following month. The spat
adheres to the undersides of the shin
giles in great profusion, and, being shad-
ed from the sun, grows rapidly When
the oysters on these shingles are twelve
months old they are removed to low
water mark. where they are placed in
similar positions, and allowed to remain
there for another year. The wood of
the shingles is by that time pretty well
drilled by cobbora. and is unfit for
longer service. The oysters are then
knocked off in deeper water, and in an
other year are fit for market.
The young oysters growing on man
groves. ''cobblers' pegs" and stones
above half-tide mark are also carefully
removed after twelve months growth,
care being taken not to injure the trees
or pegs in the process. The ''cobblers'
pegs" it may be explained, are curious
short woody projections seen in man
grove creeks, apparently growing from
the roots of the mangToves. Every
thing that forms natural catchment
for the srat on the Evans River is care
every possible manner. In places where
the tide runs too swift ballast stones
are laid from the shore to divert its cur
rent from the oysters.
At low water the foreshores of the
river present an appearance of novel
character and afford ample evidence of
the ingenuity and industry of the
lessee. Some of the shingles have as
many as 100 oysters on each, but, TAX
ing the average at thirty to each shin
gle, 100000 oysters would be produced
annually from the 10000 shingles laid
out These would fill 357 bags, which
would yield, at Sydney market rates.
e535 approximately, apart from the
oysters from other sources.
From April to June the oysters are
taken from the mangroves, rocks and
shingles, and are laid out in the deeper
water, and in September the market
able oysters return to good condition,
and from that month to March they are
shipped to Sydney. In some oyster To-
caiities much loss has been occasioned
by a disease caused by a small worm
which enters the shell when the oyster
opens. and which allows mud to get
into the bivalve.
The worm constructs a covered way
in the shell and lets the mud in, and the
oyster, naturally disliking the intruder.
proceeds to bury II with its nacreous
shell lining. If there were only one
worm to be dealt with the trouble
would be slight, but there are millions
of them. and the oyster is kept busy
covering the intruders and cramping its
own space, whila becoming impover-
ished with the work. Endeavors are
being made to discover remedy.
Where the disease does not exist. oys-
ter farming can be easily made a re-
munerative occupation by those pos
sessing the necessary patience and per- !
severance.