Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-11-10

carefully operated cars and to horse
drawn vehicles as well, and in addition
they are q measure of protection to
towns against costly and vexatious
damage suits. On this ground alone
they are good investment.-E osburg
Standard.
Oysters, the Food That Has Not Gone Up.
From a government report:
An animal food which practically has
not increased in cost for Is years, and
the production Of which has kept pace
with the growth of population. is a
present-day anomaly worthy of public
attention; especially when its price
brings it within the reach of all and it's
excellence leaves little to be desired
This is the case of oyster, probably
the only food animal which has not
shared in the general increase in the
cost of commodities. 1t is not possible
to compare retail prices with accur acy {;
quotations of canned and fresh oysters
in New York were either practically
stationary or in the extreme did not
| increase over 10 per cent, and recently
| the oyster man and the oyster grower
have received actually slightly lower
price than they did Is years ago.
This occurred Notwithstanding the fact
,, the average quality of oysters has i'm
proved during that time as result of
oyster culture and in the face of a
great increase in the cost of the fan.
cy' oysters, listed by name in menus
and consumed by the luxurious few.
The oyster of the multitude is better
than ever and about as cheap. Com
pare these facts with the Is to rs per
cent increase in the cost of eggs. poul-
try, and meats.
In Europe the oyster is, and long has
been, luxury enjoyed by the few.
When the first settlers came to the
shores of America, one of the most
| impressive indications of the richness
| of the new land was the great abund-
ance, large size, and excellence of tn
oysters which they found. Under
these conditions, and at time when
| the infant communities necessarily
| were dependent in a great measure on
natural products for food, this readily
obtainable and delicious shellfish came
into common use as an important ele-
ment of their diet. Even before the
white men came, the Indians of the
coast subssted largely on oysters and.
it is said. used them in a dried and
smoked state, strung on twigs, as an
article of barter with their inland
neighbours At many places great
mounds of shells deposited in prehls
toric times tell of the free use of which
the red men made of oysters, and on
the Damariscotta river in Main +,
1 vrvl1 q, ~
mound containing about 1000, 900
bushels of shells.
After going into the. history and
habits and life of oyster the
bulletin says:
If food be abundant and the beds not
too crowded, the oyster becomes fat,
luscious and tender. In this condition
it is one of the most inviting of foods
and one of the most digestible, nutri-
tious, and wholesome, and it's compost
ton is of such character as to make it
more nearly. than most foods self
sufficient as Diet In this respect Il
resembles milk and needs but tn ordi-
nary ingredients used in cooking
starches ard fats-to give it "bal
ance 1t is remark able among or
binary food substances in its high pro-
portion of g)ycogen, substance re-
sembling starch but more readily and
easily assimilated, and, unIik stare
! wholly digestible even when uncooket.
With all of lis manifold merits. il
never has cone fully into its own, art
ly because until recently the people vi
the interior have not been able TO gel
it at its best, but largely because il
has been the victim of prejudice
Eaten raw, the oyster, like most IN
cooked foods, may carry disease il
taken from polluted surroundings. A
few such cases have been given grea
prom hence, and to considerable ex
tent the oyster has fallen in public es
TEEN; but though this has unner o IS
> rily deferred many persons from u rs
. an excellent food, it has net beer
without good result. The United
States and many ate and munici pa
governments have awakened to the al
visibility of supervision and inspection
and there is now exercised os.
scrutiny of the sources of oysters
which are brought to market o.
, shipped from site to state and thu
= method of handling and transporting
, them. 1t can be said that oysters I o
) day are more sanitary and better thar
: ever and that there is, AT least, a
sufficient guaranty OF their whole
someress as there is of milk. straw
berries. lettuce, celery, and other food
not usually cooked for consumption
If the oysters be cooked there is :.
double guar nty.
) In other countries oyste q are nearl
, always eaten raw, and even in thi
: country the finest are usually consume
5 in this way as a minor course at meals
f but the distinguishing feature of thei
! consumption in the United States i
| that they are generally cooked and con
stitute an important part, if not tn
t whole, Ct the meal at which they ar
f served. Under these circumst ance
z m nif id methods of cooking then
4 nave been evolved.