Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-30
COMING OYSTER SEASON
HUNDREDS OF OPERATORS TO BE-
GIN WORK FRIDAY.

At hundreds Of points along the lever
Potomac. tn the York. James and Rappa-
hammock rivers in Virginia: in the Patux-
ent and Choptank, In Maryland. and all
about in Chesapeake bay and its tributaries
where salt water flows the oystsrmen are
today making ready for the oyster season
which opens in Maryland and virginis
waters Friday. September l. They viii be-
gin work with the first showing of dawn
Friday. but at first the oysters can only be
taken from their beds with oyster tones,
the scraping season not beginning until Oc-
tober Is. and the use Of dredges not being
allowed until November /.
These regulations are for the protection
of the oyster beds. to prevent their being
scraped clean before the cold weather
comes and oysters are in big demand. For
several weeks past the oystermen have
been employed in putting their boats and
Of the PUNCHES and bugeyes that ply be-
tween this city and the oyster-taking
grounds have been overhauling their boats
and making them ready to bring eargocs
here.
While all kinds OF boats are used in tong
ing for oysters, the favorite craft is
nancy" although the d-fashioned canoes.
regular dugouts, are also popular. and
many of them are in use. The nancy Is
cheap boat to build but is stanch and sea-
worthy and has many good points. 1t Ii
light in weight compared with the canoe
and is said to be a fast sailor. 1t made Its
appearance on the bay about fifteen years
ago and has become very popular
The life of an FISHERMAN is by no means
an easy one. At the first sign of dawn. In
all kinds Of weather except when the river
is Frozen the FISHERMAN leaves his home,
and If the breeze is fair sails to the oyster
grounds; IL not, he rows the six or eight
miles to his working grounds. Arriving
there. he drops his anchor and puts his
tongs overheard
All day long he manipuates them with
varying results. Sometimes he finds par
ticularly good bed and the tongs will bring
up oysters each time they are put over
and shells in the tongs than there are good
oysters and the days work is poor.
The catch is then culled. that Is. all I'M
der-sized oysters and shells are cleaned
out and thrown overheard, at least this Is
what is supposed to be done. but judging
from the cargoes often brought here the
law Is very often dead letter. When the
catch is culled 1t Is sold to the river ooat cats
oystermen market their own catch. but
some own the river boats In which they are
brought to market.
Bulk Comes From Lower Potomac.
The bulk of the supply Of oysters brought
to this city comes from the bed In the lower
Potomac, and under ordinary condltlons
are as fine stock as can be obtained. raw
stewed, fried, PANIED or escolloped. 1t IS
hard to say in which style they most uckle
the palate of the epicure. In all ways OF
cooking they are delicious.
From Maryland Point to the mouth OF the
river the tongers will start to work Fri
day. and before the end Of the week the
first of the river boats with the bivalye
aboard will be in port. For the hrst MI.
teen days Of the month the tongers Will
confine themselves to the river: after that
they can take oysters from the small tripu-
taries Of the river
ut Is hard to predict what the next
oyster season will be" said an old OYSTER
man to a Star reporter this morning. but
from all I can learn the outlook is good.
THE Ice that covered the river last WIN
ter for several weeks extended all over the
oyster beds and gave them an excellent
chance to grow and increase as IT prevent
ed the oystermen from disturbing the peds
until the spring was well advanced and the
heavy demand for oysters over.
Then too. while there has been plenty
Of rain to wash food down to the oysters.
there have been no big freshets to carry
mud to the beds and choke the life out OF
the oysters.
Taking IL altogether. l should say the
season should be good one and the oys-
tiers superior to any we have seen for sew
eral years"
The dealers do not look for heavy de-
mand for oysters at present. owing to the
warm weather. but with the first frost
they say business should begin to get brisk
and the season be a good one