The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-09-14
FISH EXPERTS STUDY
OYSTER CULTIVATION
Investigations Show That Rivers
Gould Be Made to Yield
Mollusks.
BUSINESS WOULD PAY WELL.
Curious Collection of Bivalves
Shows Them Growing on Old
Boots, Broken Glasses and
CASTOR Rubbers.
REPURLIc

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Washington, Sept. I5.-Farming beneath
the water is a subject TO which Government
scientists are giving much attention just at
present, and one Of the conclusions they
have drawn from their Investigations is
that many thousands of square miles Of
the bottoms of estuaries and tidal rivers
in this country can be made to yield in the
shape OF oysters as much value Is IS OBJ
tainable in wheat or garden truck from the
best land.
Nearly one-third of the Long Island Sound
IS already occupied by oyster beds, the
product Of which is derived from the SOW
ing OF seed and regularly harvested. wine
in the Chesapeake is an oyster-growlns
area of about 1000 square miles which, with
roper cultivation. would be worth an aver
age OF $lDg an acre annually
Experts of the United States Fish Com
mission have made a special study OF the
10 illustrate the ad~aptabiIity of the mol
lusks. they have got together a very Gu
rious collection Of objects. 1t comprises
oysters growing upon a great variety OF
things, such as old boots, rubber shoes,
beer glasses and even a lantern. There IS
a broken bottle. inside Of which as Wen
as on the outside. oysters have found a
home. And, oldest of all, there Is an
upper set Of false teeth. to which an enter
prising oyster is firmly attached
HISTORY OF OYSTER
The history of this last oyster is decided
ly interesting. About four years ago il wal
raked out of the waters OF Chesapeake Bay
by a dredging boat, together with the fslse
teeth. to which ii was firmly liked, ana
teeth and oyster were acquired by a hotel
keeper at Cowart, Va. whose vile Tor
warded them to the Smithsonian Anstitu-
The matter obtaining some advertisement
in ths newspapers. a man named WEBSTER
residing in Bedford, Ia, claimed tns .eetl:
from a steamer bound for Norfolk
The Smithsonian people were undecideo
at first as TO whether they should surrender
the teeth or not, the object being SO great
a curiosity that they were ANXIOUS TO noid
on to IT. But, not many days later, a Pniia.
they were hers; and actually a third PARTY,
visiting the institution. demanded them
declaring that he recognized them as having
Probably, from first to last, q good many
persons nave lost their false teeth over
hoard In the Chesapeake. the waters OF
did not care to decide the, dispute. and con-
cluded to retain the specimen.
AFFECTED BY MUD.
The main point illustrated by the col
lection referred TO Is that oysters VIII live
and grow under n sort Of conditions,
e snis Of 'a tSs G nnd gel Any sSis soi hG'o Object sRSss VIII i
serve THAR purpose, but they must be out
of reach Of the mud, which otherwise would
In Florida and slsewhers in the tropics
bivalves attach themselves TO the arch
Inf, Rger sr sss : sr. Of s,p %sssT ss low a tid. IN ' eTss;
AceOrdlnsIs. q. problem q oyster farm.
Ter The young moliusks which are trying
Sound. where 5000 acres of beds are under
cultivation, some OF them as much a. eight
miles from shore, and at q depth of more
than 20 feet great, Quantities OF shells or
or oto sSe . ssons are whsa Ith IN. ev Hpep ar. Begin
Baby oysters. newly Matched and floating
selves to the stone and shells and room are
able to take care OF themselves. After q
few months the farmer dredges up the oys-
somewhat bigger than his thumb-nail and
sells them as seed" to somebody who
wants to plant them for future use else
It takes about i've years for an oyster
period required varies somewhat with con-
ditions Of. temperature and food supply.
Ola oyster shells are commonly employed
grow sRAi upon. but best of ali for the purpose
are the fimsy Jingle" shells. which are
gathered in immense quantities every year
for planting In the manner described
LONG ISLAND OYSTER FARMS.
In the Chesapeake no oyster farming
worth mentioning is done Notwithstand-
ing the fact that the biyalves in that region
are becoming steadily more scarce, owing
TO oyerhshing: SO that the species there Is
actually threatened with determination, the
fishermen who depend upon the Industry for
their livelihood have steadfastly opposed the
movement in favor of artificial prcpaga-
tion.
They are firm in the belief that If such
methods were encouraged, the oyster
grounds. which now are free to all, would
fall into the hands OF great capitalists.
The methods OF oyster farming adopted in
Long Island Sound are as yet primitive, ana
are destined before long to be replaced by
more scientific and satisfactory processes.
Gently by experts Of the Fish Commission
through the employment of rearing cases."
as they are called.
These cases are large fiat boxes, s feet
long, 4 feet wide and 6 inches deep. with top
and bottom of stout wire Eauze. They are
placed on the bottom in shallow water. be-
ing upheld out of the mud by four corner
posts, and arranged side by SIDE IN rows
Into each OF these receptecles are put as
many young oysters as ii viii hold, a sin
In this way the young oysters are not only
kept out of the mud, but protected from en-
emieS. and they grow rapidly. Every two
weeks the biggest of them are picked out
and transferred to fresh cases, thus making
room for the growth of those which re-
main. and this process Is continued until
the last of them are ready for market.
The numerous enemies OF the oyster cause
enormous loss to the oyster farmers m
Long Island Sound, where the starfish alone
the bivalves each year. All OF these foes
ere rendered harmless where scientific
methods of culture are pursued. and this is
one of the most important reasons for con-
Quoting the business OF oyster farming on
improved and up-to-date principles.