Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-05
JAPANESE LEAD IN OYSTERS.
Planting Of Their Oysters Along Amer
lean Pacific Coast Is Suggested.

lean Pacific Coast Is Suggested.
The United States Fish Commission
has just issued a bulletin by Prof.
Bashford Dean, professor of zoology In
Columbia University, ON the subject of
Japanese oyster culture. This valu-
able paper will without doubt be read
with interest by dealers, growers, and
shippers of oysters throughout the At
lantic coast and Gulf regions of the
country. In this remarkable bulletin,
Professor Dean states that, While we
have long regarded the European meth
DDS of oyster culture as far in advance
Of our oWn-so far as producing the
greatest number of oysters in given
area is CONGRATULATIONS practiced by
the Japanese are as far ahead of the
former as the English, French and
Dutch methods as. In turn. the latter
are of our own. The writer visited
the extensive oyster plantations OF
Japan, in company with Messrs.
Masugi Shiraishi and Shinobu Suda,
the oyster experts of the japanese gov
eminent.
These oyster grounds, situated along
the Bay of Kaida, on the Sea of AK,
belong to the government, and are
leased or rented out for a certain term
of years to different persons. who, IN
order to hold their concessions, are
compelled to keep up the beds in a
high state of cultivation. The coast Is
a very shallow one, and the ebb of the
tide leaves a wide area of sea bottom
exposed. This, however, is only for
short time. and the oysters are i'm
proved, rather than injured, by the
shifting tides. 1t is here that the
oyster farmers construct }epg hedges
of pine boughs and bamboo sticks, the
ends planted in the sand, and leaning
against each other so as to lend mutua
support. Such hedges are known as
'shih." and during the spawning sea.
son every ounce of "spat" is caught
and collected by these shibi planters
in rows from six to ten feet apart
forming an excellent base upon which
the young oysters may fasten and
grow to maturity.
Sometimes the shibi are constructed
in labyrinthian form, and in other
places arranged in circular and con-
centric order like large fan, each
cultivator having his own peculiar
ideas as to the best means of collecting
the spat and securing the largest CROP
of oysters obtainable on given area
At the end Of two years the larger
oysters are harvested from the Shibl
by means of a curiously shaped hook
while those not so we'll developed and
smaller ones are cleared from the Shibl
and placed on the living grounds" an
area of deeper sea water, near thu
mouth of some stream, and having a
stony or gravelly bottom. When thus
relieved of their burden, the bamboo
supports are ready, with some slight
| renewing here. and there to catch a
new crop of spat.
On the living grounds the oysters are
not allowed to grow in punches nor to
run too much to shell, all of which is
prevented by means Of a curious rake
with which they are stirred about and
the thin, tender, and constant new
growth of shell around the edges is
broken off. The oysters on living
grounds are protected against storms
and strong currents by curious bamboo
licences, arranged in long rows with
lcurving offshoots every 10 feet, partly
inclosing a certain number of oysters.
Prof Dean concludes his interesting
paper by advocating the planting OF
japanese oysters along the California
Oregon, and Washington coasts, where
the blue point. Lynn Haven and other
Atlantic coast oysters have been tried
and have failed. The japanese oys-
ter (Ostera gigas) is of large size
specimens in the shell weighing from
four to five pounds being by no means
infrequent. Being thoroughly adapted
to the cold waters and currents of the
Pacific; the factors which, in every
case. have proved the destruction OF
transplanted blue point and Lynn Ha-
ven oysters. he thinks they would null
tiply and thrive at rapid rate il
planted along the Oregon shores. 1t is
quite likely that the fish commission
will undertake the importation and
planting of several hundred barrels OF
Japanese oysters in the bays and in
let's of Oregon, as it is now giving the
matter serious attention.