The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-08
oysters of the Pacific Coast.

Ifrom the Baltimore Americana
l. Wilhelm, a prominent attorney of
Seattle, Wn.. who is also the author of
several novels and books of poems is
IN Baiumore visiting his sister, Mrs.
Beiswanger, wife of the Rev. George
Beiswanger, pastor of Calvary Luther
an church. Mr.. Wilhelm is on his Way
to New York to perfect plans for the
Puplcatlon of a new novel, a tale of
Seattle and western life
The westerner has paid much atten-
ton to the oyster industry, both of the
chesapeake Bay and of the Pacific
coast, and yesterday gave an interest
ing description of the latter industry
Inc oyster of the Pacific Coast is not
only different bivalVe from that of
the Atlantic in size and taste hut the
methods of propagation and of catching
are SO unlike those familiar to BaIti-
Inoreans as to cause much surprise to
those uninitiated in such matters. Mr..
Wilhelm said:
Il suppose it will be a matter of not
HItie surprise to many to know that
on Puget Sound there are MANY acres
OF beds of native oysters. and that the
oyster INDUSTRY there is becoming a
feature or much Importance. Just at
present large operations are being car
REQ on to develop the resources in this
direction. Many thousands of dollars
are now invested, and the keenest bust
the undertaking.
Inc native oyster of that country is
specie OF hermaphrodite bivaIys-
small but exceedingly sweet and delic-
lous.- They are, when taken from, the
shell, about the size of ones th,,rnh
me smell usually attains the size of an
lhch and one-half or two inches in di
aL!eter' ana IS quite thin. In its propa-
gauon the Puget Sound oyster breeds
the male and female in the same shell
ana the young oyster is thrown off III
adneres to the old mother shell until of
Gel laii age When 1t becomes detach-
ed We have tiled to cultivate the east
ern oyster, but as yet have been unable
TO have them propagate.
we nave what are termed natural
ana sartl1cla1 oyster beds. The natural
beds are those upon which the ovsters
nave been growing as far back as the
memory of the white man or the In
dian goes. The artificial beds are those
lands adapted to oyster culture which
nave oeen brought into use by special
efforts. Two plans are in use-one to
pant seed oysters secured from the
STATE reserve grounds and let nature
90 the rest; the other, to inaugurate
the french park system. The latter is
the most popular and successful
T., 9Liuer the french park system tide
iands adapted to oyster culture are util-
ized. A system of bikes is constructed
IN sucn way that when the tide goes
out suhcfent water is retained in the
areas Enclosed that the land is covered
by at least inches of water which nro-
tects the growing oysters from freezing
out In winter and burning out in sum-
mer Inc operators cover the mud flats
with a layer of gravel after the ground
mas been diked, and upon the gravel
SOW the seed oysters. 1t takes from two
TO three years before a crop can be |
gathered The yield has been proven to
pc zoo per cent better under the park
ink system than any other
Inc areas Enclosed are called pans
and usually inclose about 400 square |
feet. In Mason county last year one |
operator, who had 100 pans, and had in
troduced the parking system two years |
before, shipped almost 1000 sacks of |
oysters to Seattle and other points for |
which he received from 81 to S475 a |
acres of natural, uncultivated oyster i
lands, last year shipped about 1900 |
sacks of oysters. for which he received |
an average of $3.50 a sack, and during |
the busiest part of the season employed |
II men.
"A special feature of the oyster in |
dustry on Puget Sound is the preparing |
and putting up of oyster cocktails Re- |
cause of the small and medium size of |
our western oyster and its exceedingly |
rare and rich flavor. it makes an ex- |
cepuonal and delicious cocktail. AL
though only in the second year of this
branch of the industry, yet the opera
tors last year were unable to le.aet the |
demand of the trade coming S-om so /
TAR east as Chicago, st. Louis and even
New York and Cincinnati. 1 have no |
doubt that some day the business and /
professional men of Baltimore will be |
eating with keen relish the famous Pu-
SCI oOhiA0 OYSTER COCKTAILS IneY are /
now making them and shipping them |
direct from the grounds, near the oyster
beds.
So valuable has this resource of the |
state of Washington become that al
ready the state authorities have taken /
up the matter of protecting and en-
eouraging the propagation and cultiva-
ton of the delicious biValve. Under ex-
sting laws certain districts are set
apart and designated as seed grounds /
These places are spots VIII . the native
oyster has been known l. thrive the
best. and here the oyster grows Hndis-
turbed, save that during the period from