Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-11-18

i estimated at inward of 60 0O0 but as many them
are employed part of the year in other fisheries farming
etc definite statistics not available. Baltimore is the
most extensive market and New York has considerable
export trade with Europe
The native oyster the Pacific coast is a small thin
sheed species In 15934O bushels valued at $251
1872 were marketed, principally on the Pacific coast
The European oyster is found from Italy to Norway.
1t is round thn-shclled Species more sh2pely than the
American Species hermaphrodiNc, first female and
afterwards is less prolific than its American rela
tive and the young undergo considerable development in
the mantle chamber of the mother 1t thriyes in water
of full or almost full, organic density.
The oysters of Japan occur in shallow and moderately
backish moderately salt water throughout the whole
archipelago; and very large salt water species Is ound
in deep water Many other species of Osrea are found
in temperate and tropical seas throughout the world
The oyster family appears to have mad It's origin
in some mperfectly known forms The family is found
also in the Perman In the Trassc it is represented
by a strongly plcaed FORM Alectryonia, which form
becomes prominent in the Jurassc and Cretaceous
There are also the arcuate shells of Gryphae
and Exogyra in the Jurassic and Cretaceous Ostrea
itself is known the Mesozoc but it attained its maxi
of size and abundance in the Tertiary The sandy
marls this period in the southwestern United States
contain great numbers of very large specimens
of oysters Owing to the exhaustion OIL the natura peas
and their inability supply the demand for oysters, IL
has been necessary to resort to artificial methods
of production efectng % an in the number of
fertiZed 90 increase in the surfaces aVaaoe
for fxaon and also OF the number of spat attaching
so the saving spat and young oysters which would
naturally fall victims to enemies and adverse physicai
conditions; (4) the utilization of barren bottoms
and naturally unavailable food supplies. But small
part OF the area water suitable for oysters has
been utilized by mainly for lack of suitable bodies
for the of the In the United States
such barren is utilized by clearing it OF all rub
bsh and either planting cutch to collect the spat or
young oysters (seed), that they may improve In
size shape quality under conditions SAFER ana
more favorable than their original environment In
certain places either method succeed but commonly
a locality is better adapted to than the other.
The suitable bottom for oyster culture consists OF
firm mud or substratum with thin surface OF
soft mud but sandy bottom Is usually deficient
in food loose drifts and the oysters, and
very soft mud inguIfs and stiles them produces In
ferior eongate Mud naturally too soft may be
utilized by distributing it shells sand or other ma
terial which resting the surface, furnishes
firm foundation upon which the growing oyster may
reoose in security For spatcollecng it is frequently
advantageous hard mud, gravel or rocky bottom
in sboal water i'll adapted to adult oysters from de-
dciency of food The bottom being properly prepared
and its boundaries marked with stakes buoys either
system may adopted to accord with circumstances
Generally seedplanting is certain in it's results and
yields quicker to the grower Seedoysters vary
from "blisters onehaf inch in diameter to individuals
almost ready market but ordinarily they are between
one and three long They obtained from plant
ers making speciality of seed production or from natural
beds their varying from ten cents to 81 bushel
the larger culed stock separate well shaped and free
from rubbish bringing higher prices and giving the best
results.