Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-12-02
FISH AND OYSTERS NOTES.

FISH AND OYSTERS NOTES.
The shipments of oysters from this
port show a remarkable increase from
the following comparative statement
made by Secretary Daughtery, of the
Board of Trade and Business Mems
association, who converted all of the
shipments into gallons:
september, 1908 Al $50 gallons
september, 1904 l22 ,639 gallons
Octooer, lsO3 103 $50 gallons
octooer, l9O4 15S.7S2 gallons
Norfolk Pilot.
The association of oyster planters
of Norfolk is thing of the past. 1t
was short lived, about as long as it
is possible for any combination to
hold together in the fish and oyster
industry. The men in the business
prefer to disagree, even though they
are losing money by not getting to-
gether; a strange condition of things.
The States of Virginia and
Maryland never passed through such
a condition of trade as that expert
enced for the past few weeks. Ordi-
narily it would have been a harvest.
1t is doubtful, however, if the aver
age packer will pay expenses. Prices
have been below the normal condi-
ton, aud great loss has resulted.
The oysters of the North have been
factor, the mild weather helping to
produce them in large quantities. 1t
is expected that an improvement will
be looked for soon, otherwise the
season will 60 on record as the most
disastrous for years.
A Jewish friend, highly orthodox,
ate oysters. Queried once about this
seeming departure from strict obser-
vance, he said: Understand that
the law against shelf is a hy-
gienic one. am satisfied, after in
vestigation, that the oyster of the
Galilean sea is not fit for human con-
sumption, and so Moses did we'll to
prohibit it; but / am confident that
had he lived on the banks of the
Chesapeake bay, he would never have
done so, and i give myself hygienic-
ally, the benefit of the doubt" But
Canadian told a Baltimore visitor
that the Canadian oyster surpassed
the bivalve of the Chesapeake. A
statement of that kind makes Bal
timore man feel creepy. The Cana
dian added that "after contact with
plate of Prince Edward Island oys-
ters, he admitted that my statement
was justified" We suspect that the
willy Canadian had an extra supply
of champagne with the oysters and
shrewdly got his guest gay before
producing the Prince Edward course.
Or it may be be jollied him with
some native whiskey.-Augusta
Chronicle.
Vice-Consul Sudlow, of Jackson
vile, Fla, is the recipient of the half
shell of a monster oyster which
weighed over two hundred pounds.
The half shell weighs one hundred
and twelve pounds, and came from
friend at Titusville, Fla, says a
southern exchange. The shell is
highly polished, pearl surface, with
varying tints of color. Itwas proba-
bly, one of the wonders of the deep
washed ashore during the recent hur-
ricane. 1t is hard to believe that an
oyster shell weighed over two hun
dred pounds, but the half shell is
proof positive Of the assertion. =
The new city of Baltimore, the part
where the fish and oyster business
held forth. is slowly but surely as
serting itself. Already there are
several new buildings of brick and
stone occupied by the up-to-date
oyster merchants; others will follow
as soon as their buildings are ready.
The fish merchants are waiting for a
new market, the plans of which have
been submitted; $225,O0O has been
asked for to build with. IF success
full it will be one of the most perfect
and up.to-date fish markets in the
country, and when finished, the fish
merchants will be congratulated after
their patience in doing business for
years under an old shed.-FshinQ
Gazette.