Evening star., 1911-08-31
OYSTER CARGO HERE
Arrival of Halle K. Marks
Opening Of Season.
GOOD YEAR IS EXPECTED
Potomac Bivalves Improved in
Quality Since Laws Are
Enforced.
GOOD YEAR IS EXPECTED
I'm the month without the r
Oysfers deadly pOfS1u are"


Is an old saying that has long ago been
exploded. but it Is a fact that the oyster
has. its season everywhere. and this
season begins in September and ends in
April, and leaves out only the months
in the year that do not require an ''r"
to spell them.
The fact is, oysters are healthful at
any time of the year il fresh. and\they
are on sale In this city from January
to December 81 Of every year. 1t is dur
ing the cooler months of the year that
they are most popular, and it is then
that signs oysters in all styles" and
"Oysters on the half shell" appear in
the lunchrooms throughout the city.
The oyster season will open in Wash
ington tomorrow, and the first cargo
of the bivalves arrived today aboard
the schooner Halle K, consigned to
Capt. Joe Chivell Aboard was shuck-
ing stock from the private beds down
river. and already the cooler weather
has caused the placing of heavy orders
with the dealers at the wharf for the
shucked bivalyes TO be delivered tomor-
row..
Under the old regulations Of eight Or
ten years ago the Potomac and its trib-
utaries were thrown open to tongers at
midnight August 81, and hfteen days
afterward dredging was allowed. Under
the joint regulations Of the states OF
MARYLAND and Virginia designed to pro-
tect the oyster and to allow II time 10
develop longing begins on the Potomac
the morning OF sep!emoer ~ pu. .o"s
forbidden until a month later. the
dredge boats are allowed to start work
| in the Potomac October 10. ana sixteen
days later the beds In CHESAPEAKE pa!
are opened to the dredHers. The taking
| OF oysters from the beds in the river
now is unlawful after April Is, and not
May 1, as under old regulations
Oysters Are Improving.
The wisdom of these laws is shown ir
the increase Of the number Of biyalves In
the' Potomac, and also In their quality
| oyster grounds that have been depleted
are now rented to oyster farmers. who
| grow the shelffJh as the farmer on lant
grows his wheat or corn
| For the past two or three weeks, q
points along the river where salt wate'
| ebbs and flows twelve months in the year
| the oystermen have been employed il
overhauling tongs, boats and other para
phernslia used in taking the luscious oy $
| ter from its bed. At midnight tonight {
i large feet OF boats will start for the oyste
bars. and on the first streak of dawn tong
| will be dipped into the water and the oys
ter season OF 1911 will be on.
The greater part Of the oysters used IL
this city come from the beds In the lowe
Potomac. The oyster Is found In the PO
tomac from about lower Cedar point t
it's mouth. but the oyster bars abOu
Blakistones Island. or from Curriomal
bay Nomfni and lower Machodoc creeks
Coan or Yeocomico river In Virginia
Wicomico st. Marys river or Smith
i creek In Maryland. are considered the I'm
i est and no better oysters are produces
on the Atlantic coast than those takel
from the Potomac beds. Many thousan'
bushels are shucked each season. an
packed in cans, surrounded by Ice. ar
shipped to all parts Of the United States
There has been q great improvement Il
the quality of the Potomac oyster in tn
last few years, and those brought her
last season. while not very large, were O
exquisite flavor.
The. receipt of oysters at the whar
market will be light until after Octobe
Is when the dredging season begins an
| frosty nights are at hand. From tina
time until the end OF the oyster seaso
next spring. the 18th street wharf marke
win be busy place twenty-four hours j