The mirror., 1919-04-10

chance or accident than otherwise.
When the oyster has reached the
stage that the genital glands have
become productive. the sexual pro-
ducts ooze from natural openings
and pass into the surrounding wa
ter, and the accidental meeting of
the products of the opposite sex
results in fertilization. In about
six hours after fertilization we
have a cup-shaped, free. swimming
organism. Gradully an embryonic
she'll forms and the tiny oyster ap-
proximately s to 80 of an inch in
diameter sinks to the sea bottom
where, if fortunate, it becomes at
tached by its left valve to some OBJ
ject. From then on its growth is
about one inch in diameter a year,
but after having attained a certain
size the growth becomes more
slow.
The sea bottom, or beds as they
are more properly termed, that
are most adaptable to the growth
of the oyster, are those of stony
or shelly nature, with depths vary
ing from two to twenty fathoms.
The oyster cannot thrive where
the bottom is composed of sand or
mud, for this kind of ground is
continually shifting with the under
currents and would soon cover the
oyster; likewise water containing
less than three per cent salt is also
unsuitable.
The average oyster will produce
about 100000 eggs, and under
very favorable conditions have
been known to produce as high as
eO,OOO,OOO. The oyster which we
find placed on the market is ap-
proximately five years old, although
we very often find considerable
quantities of young oysters on the
market not much over three years.
To prevent the determination of
the oyster in any given locality,
the government has placed certain
restrictions on the industry. For
instance, small oysters measuring
less than two and half inches in
diameter must be cast back into
the sea. A bushel of medium size
oysters must. when shucked, minus
the liquor, fill a gallon measure.
Restrictions have also been placed
on the period or duration of time
in which oysters may be dredged
in any locality. In the Chesa-
peake bay the period is from the
18th of September to the 18th of
March. Because of the sedentary
habits of the oyster, it has been
deemed necessary to protect the
young during the early stages of
growth by the simple method of
creating closed or prohibited areas
for a number of years. In these
closed territories all dredging is
prohibited, thus allowing the oys-
ter full scope for growth and
propagation.
The vessels engaged in dredging
for oysters are and must be sailing
vessels; that is, their power of 10.
comotion or propulsion, while ac-
tually dredging. must be by means
of sails; auxiliary power is abso-
lutely forbidden. The type of vessel
generally employed is either of the
sloop variety or that type known
as a buckeye" which is two
masted fore and aft rigged vessel
with either one or two jibs and
pointed at both bow and stern.
Before engaging in the industry
each master of a vessel must Sc
cure two licenses, one permitting
him to engage in the coastwise
trade and the other to permit
of engaging in the oyster industry.
After securing the required licenses
the next step is to obtain a crew
for the vessel. In order to do this
the captain most generally goes to
Baltimore, which is the center of