Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-10-23
EASTERN OYSTERS.
PARKWAY BARBARIANS THINK
THEY BEAT THE EARTH.

Shell Is the Ne Plus Ultra Of the Oyster
Product-Great South Bay, Long Island. !,
the Exclusive Home Of This Most Popular
of Bivalves They Fill a Place at the Ia
bic of Royalty. and That Of Itself Admits
Them to All Exclusive Circles - Extent ol
the Business.
The oyster trade of Puget Sound, al
though in its infancy, is a matter of
pride to all engaged in it, and is al.
ready one of the leading resources of
the State, giving promise OF more
steady and rapid development than
any one of the many others that have
made it famous. The only objection
to our oyster is that it is quite small.
but this is not. on consideration, a
stigma OF much importance, it being
one of the products of nature which
does not depend upon individual amp
litude for excellence. The mammoth
potatoes and the enormous apples are
no better, and sometimes not so fairly
adapted to the taste, as those OF smaller
size, and it has been found that the
first very universal prejudice against
native oysters on account of size rapid
ly disappeared, as the taste became ac-
customed to the product. 1t has been
noted, OF late years, that people who
have eaten our oysters for time pre-.
fer them to the larger Eastern variety,
and possess acquire towards the latter
the same antipathy that they once held
against the Western product.
Our native productl has. tenderieet
residents affirm, that same " "coppery''
taste ascribed in the subjoined article
to the English oyster. It is not
thought to be from the metal, how.
ever, that the popularity OF taste is
derived, but that it originates from
the surroundings of the oyster in its
natural state, before separated from
the molusk and crustacean life in
which it is originally found. Cultiva-
ton, it has been demonstrated by ex-
pertinent, increases the size and elimi-
mates this taste, which, as has been
said, is no detriment to the oyster, af-
ter liking for it is once acquired.
Those who think they know all
about oysters will doubtless find as
much interest in the arrogant claims
OF the aristocratic Long Island Blue
point, as they have of the opinion of
those who know moro of jack.rabbits
than any for m OF ocean life.
The Bluepoint, the famous Ameri-
can oyster, and the ari.tocrat OF mol
lusks, has just been liberated for the
season from its home in Great South
bay, east shore of Long Island, New
York State, the closure of the beds, by
law, being from June Is to Oct l.
The opening Of the season for this
luscious oyster is an event OF consider.
able importance, anxiously awaited by
epicures all over the world, for not
only is this oyster in great demand in
the United States, but it has also
found favor in the households of the
wealthy and even of royalty abroad.
His majesty, King Edward VII, is a
great lover Of the Bluepoint. and the
latter finds its way daily to the table
of the king during the entire season
from October to June.
The Bluepoint oyster industry has
seldom been touched upon in print,
yet it is rapidly gaining vast proper
tions and is affording employment to
many thousands of people.
The exclusive home of the Blue.
point is Great South bay. 1t is thirty
miles long, and about seven at its wild.
est point, and from almost one end of
the bay to the other the shores are
staked off for oyster planting.
The oyster lots are under water, of
course, and extend half mile or more
from shore. The right to farm these
lots 10 obtained from the Board of Su.
pervisors.
Beyond the stakes of the leased lots
is the public domain of water, where
anybody may tong who can. (You
tong the Bluepoint in Great South
bay. Elsewhere you dredge.)
longing by the public must be done
between Oct. l and April 80. Sep.
tember is an oyster month in all
waters except Great South bay. But
even in season the public hunter in
these waters is carefully watched.
The skipper of the sloop of the
Board Of Trustees is armed, not with a
stick or deadly weapon. but with q
pocket rule. The public hunter must
scrutinize the Bluepoint he brings up.
1t must measure, crossways and
lengthways, 4 inches," before it can
be culled. If it does not 30 measure
it must be cast back into the waters.
On clear day. in tonging" season,
the expanse OF Great South bay is one
of beauty. Fleets of sixty, seventy
and sometimes eighty sloops whiten
the water view. The crew of q sloop
usually consists of two men and boy.
One man is at the tiller; the other
handles the tongs. The boy culls the
oysters brought up from the beds by
the tongs. The latter are composed OF
two long poles, from ten to twelve feet,