The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-09-23
What | Learned About The Custer
(By Dorothy Wyatt)


Just opened and. though the wealth
q was warm. a sign displayed in a
fish market, calling attention to
oysters and the modern method OF
shipping in iced containers, caused
me- to decide to take oysters home
I gave my order to the clerk for
q quart. When he asked me what
kind of oyster / wanted was puz-
sled. Like many young women,
did not realize that oysters were
more than "oysters-" 1 thought
they were all of one kind. 1 said
90 and then the clerk took me in
hand and explained the difference
in the oysters his market sold.
Finally he advised Selects" and
gave me a quart in tin pail.
How much?" I asked.
Fifty cents" he replied.
Fifty cents" exclaimed. why
I can get q perfectly gorgeous por-
tsrhouse steak for fifty cents"
"Yes'm. you can" he said. but
you won't get as much for your
money by q long shot. Wait a mo-
mont
He placed the quart of oysters
On Z scale. The Indicator moved
up to two and q half pounds.
Now take off four ounces for
the weight of the pail-that Is lit
tie more than it really weighs"-he
said. land you have two and a
quarter pounds of oysters-an solid
meat, too; no waste at all. This
costs you less than Is cents a
pound. Deducting the waste from
your steak and the cost of that
steak goes up just about 35 per
cent. Compare the cost of the
steak With the cost OF these oys-
tAss and you see right away what
ron save
cav his point. had often
wondered at the waste In meats, but
had never taken the time to really
eonslder what it meant to me and
Tie household pocketbook. But /
had another objection ready for
him.
OyUters are not as healthfui as
naat." said I. thinking to stump
him. my husband has told me
how the Government forces the In
mnn<fns, - al unaat chiorad Prom
IT, big packing houses. Then, be-
eidss. oysters are picked so close
- The big cities that they must
1ee6 on the refuse and therefore
ere contaminated.
he smiled. guess said
picked, but didn't know how
3AA3 kecsegte egU6e9s. 49,
Madam, he replied. .oysters
Nowadays are grown just Hike wheat
and corn crops. They are actually
planted. Away out in deep water,
nilea away from cities. where pure.
neeh currents OF salt water sweep
over the sbeds:-and salt.you know,
= I srsat purifier-the oysters of
today ore raised by artificial propa-
oation.
'sThe modern oyster planter
pIants thousands OF bushels Of adult
oysasrs IN water Just right-neither
TO hot nor too cold. too salt or
TOO fresh-where, in warm wealth
=. the egss are laid and float
aboat until fortified and the tiny
sheH begins to form. Then the
baby oysters sink down to rest and
attach themselves to the oyster
shells with which the. bed is strewn.
L sometimes happens the babies
ugnk into the mud or sand and are
snothsrsd-
III everything goes we'll, how
ever. the young oysters SET as
the attaching to the shells are call
"a and. II not destroyed by its
snsmies. the starfish. the drill
worm. the periwinkles, they mature
and furnish the public with the
most economical. the purest, the
most easily digested food possible"
why, how interesting" ex-
claimed. Il had an idea that you
eould walk along the seashore and
Daek up oysters BY the handfuls. I
haA no idea they sctuaily raised
avutssA'
.'Eor the past hundred years. :"
- won't on, oysters have been
ortifielally planted. But It is only
- the last thirty years artificial
nropAgafion has become general.
Why. ron have no idea how the
industry Of raising and shipping
oyotsn has advanced even in the
paet fivs years.
.sOyster producing States have a
Nell y1ah Commission which regu-
Jafes the packing and handling OF
oystors. Talk shout your pure food