Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-13
OverhauIing Boats, longs and
ParaphernaIia for Opening
of Season.
LAW PERMITS OPERATION
TO BEGIN SEPTEMBER IS
Good Year for Big, Fat Bivalves
Anticipated-Potomac Beds Pro-
duce Fine Oysters.

! In preparation for opening OF the
S0yster-dredging season, oyster dredges
I at dozens Of points along the Potomac
and on Chesapeake bay and Its otnef
tributaries where salt water flows nave
been employed for the past two or three
weeks overhauling boats. oyster tongs
and other paraphernalia used In taking
oysters from the natural beds.
: Until 1913 the tongers were allowed
7 to start work on the Potomac Septem-
Der l. Under the present laws of Mary
land and Virginia 1t is unlawful to faHe
oysters from the natural beds before
September Is, Tuesday next.
4! At the first showing of dawn on that
! day the oyster tongers will start for
the oyster grounds to try their luck.
It is said that many a tonger firmly
believes that II he makes good catch
the opening day of the season. success
will follow him throughout the season.
f.. Laws Governing Dredging.
y While the longing season opens Tues
day the use Of dredges in taking oysters
Is unlawful until November 1. Only resi-
dents of Maryland and Virginia are al
lowed to engage in the work. The laws
of Maryland and Virginia governing the
catching Of oysters says:
TT shall not be lawful to take or catch
oysters with scoop, scrape or dredge,
or any such instrument in the waters Of
the Potomac river between March Is
and November 1 of each year: 1t shall
not be lawful for any citizen OF either
state to take oysters with tongs from
the waters of the Potomac between
April IS and September IL.
The law imposes penalty OF not less
than $50 nor more than $500 for each
violating the law are forfeited to the
state The law further specifies that
only oysters whose shells measure two
and half inches from hinge to mouth
shall be taken, and all understood
oysters must be thrown back into the
water.
:. According to reports this curtailing of
the oyster taking season has been bene-
fetal to the growth Of the oyster. The
beds have improved considerably since
: protective legislation was started, fifteen
eor twenty years ago.
> The life of an oyster tonger Is by no
means easy. The start has to be made
:, to the oyster grounds. often ten or IF
teen miles away early in the morning. The
labor Of rowing. il wind Is not favorable.
has s ID been done away am with os the ADVENT
Arriving on the oyster grounds, the
tongs are put overheard. Taking OF the
oysters from the bottom has started.
Gathering the tonss full Of what Is on On
and dumped upon the culling board lying
across the boat.
An day long the tongs are manipulated
with varying success. sometimes good Il
. q particularly good bed of oysters Is
found. Often there are more shells than
oysters in what Is brought up by the
tongs.
vSvSAA a
separated from the marketable ones. ana
s. thrown back into the water Judging
from the size Of oysters brought here.
the law is often evaded. There Is no law
that can be sold here.
Potomac Oysters Fine.
While some few cargoes of oysters
are brought to this market from the
beds in Tangfer and Pocomoke sounds
and from the York river. by far the
greater part Of oyster sold here come
from the Potomac river beds. Good
oysters are found in the Potomac from
Lower Cedar point to its mouth
Island. St. Marys river, Smith creek
on the Maryland side or Nomini, Lower
Machodoc, Coan or the Yeocomtco river
on the Virginia side are always In de-
mand. No matter whether served raw.
stewed, fried, steamed. roasted, escal-
Hoped or in pie, 1t is hard to say
which way they most tickle the palate
Of the epicure.
The past summer was a dry one. Dry
summers are said to be favorable for
the growth and fairness Of oysters. So
oystermen are anticipating a good sea-
son.
The tongers. after cleaning up their
days catch, dispose of them to the run
boat masters, who. as general thing.
buy them outright and bring them to
the market here. No heavy receipts OF
oysters are looked for until after the
dredge boats start work six weeks
hence, but supply will be brought
here ample to meet the demand Of early
fall.
While fresh oysters are good food all
the year around. they are not in heavy
demand until the coming of cold wealth
er. which seems to develop the oyster
appetite In the average Washingtonian
A large feet of oyster runboats are at
river points making ready for service
Tuesday morning next they will start
out for cargoes. and oysters from the
public beds will be on sale the latter
part of the week.
All preparations have been completed
by the shocking houses at the wharf
for the opening Of the busy season
The shocking of oysters was started
there soon after the beginning of this
month