Lower coast gazette., 1913-03-15
The Oyster Industry,

LOUIGIANA mss the very proper reputation OF
containing The largest and finest oyster fields III
the federal union and it is admitted by those
familiar with the industry that it could De made
one Of the largest, if not the largest and most
profitable industries Of Louisiana. We are led
to these remarks by q consular report Just re-
ceived of q revival Of the Canadian oyster IN
dustry, which is located chiefly in the gulf OF
St. Lawrence. TheHoyster fields of Prince Ed
war9a LELAND nnun nlaandu nnntl- cu~uauaa and
are now being leased for private oyster culture.
Sites for oyster banks are open TO American as
urli % cal.euic1 uyotel :oinpanies ano govern
ment instruction and assistance vii! be given &c
those who will undertake to, build up leased
oyster beds. During the last thirty years the
various oyster fields Of the St. Lawrence nave
shown & decreasing output. but with better or
ganization It is now thought that the output car
be gradually increased and De made to finally
exceed its figures OF q generation ago.
In the report on The Canadian oyster fields
the British Columbia is included. Those who
visited the Pacific coast ano especially che
northern Pacific, are aware now insignificant
the Pacific coast oysters are as compared with
our Louisiana oysters and with the oysters OF
Virginia and Maryland. They are extremely
small in size and Indifferent in flavor and have
a favor rather different from that Of the Allan
tic coast and Gulf coast oysters. This fact mas
led to the transplanting Of seed oysters from the
Atlantic coast to the Pacific in order to get finer
oysters there, and in this way some have been
procured, but no material change from these
causes has thus far been reported.
The output Of Prince Edwards Island has
been valued at 81 per barrel and the oysters
seem extremely difficult to get. The barrels are
reported as containing 2 LIZ bushels and shuck-
ing doWn to s or 9 quarts. Such oysters sold az
$3.50 en- the fishing grounds in 1890, rising 70
81 to $3.50 from l890to 1885, to S4.50 in 1869!
and during recent years high grade oysters are
reported to have brought $40 Or more at Nal
peque Bay, while river oysters ranged slightly
over S. per barrel. These high prices have led
to the importation OF shucked oysters from the
United States, selling on the spot to Charlotte
town dealers at S1.20 per gallon, while local
oysters were selling at from 1925 to So. Is. It
is estimated that the local production OF Cana
dian oysters il only about one eighth OF the
Canadian consumption.
No oysters grow on the New England coast
north Of Cape Cod and the Canadian oyster beds
are confined almost wholly to the extreme
southern shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The maritime oysters mature somewhat more
slowly than those Of the Chesapeake region Of
ever of Connecticut or Rhode Island, requiring
from 4 to 5 years to be the best marketable
size, while American oysters require from 8 toA
years. This is in marked contrast to Louisiana,
where excellent marketable oysters can be Sc
cured in from 2 to 8 years. The maritime oys-
ter is comparatively heavy and rough, with lr-
regular laminations which make it difficult to
open. It is said to stand shipment and storage
better than the more southern oyster.
In the early days Of the Canadian oyster in
duttry their value as food was rot appreciated
and the oystermen in fishing for them would
carry the oysters of all sizes ashore and there
L - H. oool1 -, .o,,. 49,. !. #I%