St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1917-01-06


creases gradually and reach their
maximum from the second week in
May to the last week in June. After
this the numbers very gradually de-
crease and practically cease by the
beginning of September. Follow
ing the discharge of the eggs into
the water, the infinitesimal baby oys-
tiers form, and these settle in far
greater numbers on any clean shell
surface that can possibly mature, but
once set must remain. However,
each little oyster starts with an even
chance of obtaining food and main
tanning life, and each makes des-
perate struggle against the Others
for existence. Therefore, they soon
begin to crowd. Those that happen
to be attached nearest the mud are
sometimes forced to close the valves
of their shells and cease feeding for
the time being. In the meantime
their more fortunate companions
above the mud continued to feed
and grow, and as this is repeated
from day to day, some perish from
lack Of nourishment, but many, te-
nacious of life, crowd and struggle
and increase in size by elOngating.
soon forming clusters of long, mar
row, stunted ''raccoon" oysters. So
the oyster culturist who desires a
valuable, price-making crop must
work" his beds, which means that
he must break up these clusters that
form, and as it is with the farm, SO
it is with an oyster bed-the more
man works. his bed the better all
more profitable will be the results.
In deeper waters these clusters can
be broken up satisfactorily by
dredge, which is dragged over and
back on the beds, but the more Ell
ficient method is Gull them ov hand
and separate the individuals, thus
giving each little oyster the best
possible chance to develop into a
priced Louisiana oyster. Given fav-
| orable conditions and proper cultiya
| ton, from twenty to twenty-eight
| months are required to bring the oys
ter to the degree of size and ex-
| cellence necessary to make it mar
ketable commodity.
Value Of the Oyster Industry.
From careful figures compiled by
the Department of Conservation, It Is
shown that the industry is worth
over million and hlaf dollars IN
the point of actual consumption
based on wholesale figures alone.
New Orleans, famous the world
over for the quality of its oyster
consumes approximately each year:
Barrels
| Ju1v. Aug. Sept. $4,000
/ to
April / to July ...... 27,0Ot
| 243,o0!
The wholesale price for oyster!
shipped from the bedding ground!
average on conservative basis
1926, while the retail price will g
to $3.50 a barrel. The oyster cult
vatOS receives on an average 7Oc
sack for the oysters he raises-th
price usually being between $1.5'
and $1.75 a barrel throughout tn,
year.
The consumption of oysters in New
Orleans is about 100000 tbarrles
which represents about one-third o
the total output of the State whicl
goes above 10000 barrels annually
, OF this amount the canneries pu
up for expectation on an averag
100000 barrels.
There are several hundred thous
and acres OF oyster bottoms in tn
State susceptible of oyster cultur
yet only small percentage of thi
great expanse is in actual cultiva
ton. When the present manage
ment of the Department of Conser
walton came in control there wer
but approximately 1900 acres I'm
der lease. Since that time the cult
waited area has been gradually ex
blended and there are now abou
$4,000 acres given over to oyste
cultivation.
The Oyster As a Food.