The Elbert County tribune., 1908-11-12
1NWA LARcE J7xAN oNJ7xR 0QEDoE M0yElY

is estimated at upward of 6O00O but as many them
are employed part the in other fisheries farming
etc. definite statistics not available Baltimore s the
extensive market and New York has considerable
export trade with Europe.
native oyster of the Pacific coast is small thin
sheled species 159,340 bushels. valued at $751;
1872 marketed, principally on the Pacific coast
European oyster is found from Italy to Norway
thn-shelled species, shapely than the
Species hermaphroditic, first female and
male 1t is less prolific than Its American rea
tive the undergo considerable development In
the mantle chamber of the mother 1t thrives in water
of full almost full, organic density.
oysters Of Japan in shallow and moderately
brackish moderately salt water throughout the whole
archipelago and large salt water species Is found
water. Many other species or Ostrea are found
n temperate tropical throughout the world
The oyster family appears to have had its origin
in some mperfectly forms. The family is found
also in the the Triassic 1t is represented
by strongly pcated form, Alectryonia, which form
becomes more prominent in the
There also the common arcuate shells of Gryphae
and Exogyra in the Jurassic and Cretaceous Ostrea
itself known in the Mesozoc but it attained its maxi
of size and abundance in the Tertiary. The sandy
marls of this period in the southwestern United States
often contain great numbers Of large specimens
oysters owngto the exhaustion of the natural beds
and their inability to supply the demand Tor oysters
found to resort to artificial methods
of production eectng Q) increase in the number Of
fertzed (2 increase in the surfaces available
for fxation and also of the number of spat attaching
3) the saving of spat and oysters which woud
naturally fall victims to enemies and adverse physical
conditions and (D the utilization of barren bottoms
and naturally unavailable food supplies. But small
part of the area suitable oysters has
utilized by nature mainly for lack of suitable
for the attachment of the In the United States
such barren bottom is utilized by clearing it OF all
bsh and either planting cutch to collect the spat,
else young oysters (seed), that they may improve In
size, shape, quality under conditions safer and
favorable than in their original environment In
certain places either method may succeed but commonly
a locality is better adapted to than the other.
The suitable bottom for oyster culture
firm mud of firm substratum with thin surface of
soft mud but stable sandy bottom usually deficient
in food loose drifts and the oysters and
very soft mud ingufs stiles them produces
feror elongate stock. Mud naturally soft may be
utilized by distributing 1t shells, sand other
teral which, resting the surface, furnishes
firm foundation upon which the growing oyster may
repose in security For spatcoecting 1t Is frequently
advantageous to hard mud gravel rocky bottom
in shoal water, Ill adapted to adult oysters from
fciency OF food The bottom being properly prepared
and Its boundaries marked with stakes buoys either
system may be adopted to accord with circumstances
Generally seedplanting is certain its
yields quicker returns the Seedoysters vary
from blisers" oneha inch In diameter individuals
almost ready for market but ordinarily they between
and three inches long They obtaiEed from plant
making specially OF seed production from
BEDS their varying from cents 81 per
the larger cued stock well shaped and free
fron rubbish bringing higher prices and giving the best
results.