Evening star., 1924-12-22

Atlantic exceeds that OF all the Other
The oyster family comprises at
least 100 species, with wide range
in size, shape, habits, favor and food
value. Some very fine oysters are to
be found In equatorial and sub
tropical waters. but the best occur in
temperate climes. The northern limits
Lawrence and Southern Norway in
the Atlantic and Hokkaido and Puget
Sound in the Pacific.
Oyster Cultivation Old.
Oysters have been under culture
longer than any other shellfsh. A
simple type of cultivation flourished
in China at a very remote period and
probably antedated by some centuries
the inception of oyster culture In
Italy, about the year 100 BIC.
According to DR.. Smith. the oyster
crop of the world at the present time
is estimated at about 22.00O,000
bushels and is valued at s20,000,o0O.
OF this output the United States con-
tributes as it's share 79 per cent of
the quantity and 63 per cent of the
value, the greater part of the remain
ing portion belonging to France.
OF the hundreds of thousands of
persons who eat oysters during the
months of the year they are supposed
to be at their best, 1t probably is safe
to say that only a small percentage
of them know anything Of the life
of this most important of all cul-
tivated water products.
Oysters produce an immense num-
Der of young in order to compensate
for the heavy mortality that occurs
at all stages of growth. particularly
in the early months. In some species
of oysters of the Atlantic coast of
North America. each sex is repre-
sented by a different individual. while
in others both sexes are united In one
individual. as in the common oyster
of the Atlantic coast of Europe.
A full-grown oyster, at what may
be called the spawning season,
liberates millions of microscopic
young, but only a small percentage
become attached to suitable bottom,
form a shell, and enter on a career
that will terminate on the table in
from two to four years. All young that
fall on muddy or soft sandy bottom,
or on surfaces that are Shiny. are lost.
Are Carefully Raised.
The anatomy of the oyster is COM
posed of eight parts, namely, mantle,
or outer edge Of the oyster; lips,
mouth, gills, heart, stomach. intes-
tine and great muscle, which is To-
a great many people do not relish
and refuse to eat.
While the number of oysters tonged
and dredged in the United States has
been decreasing each year, those that
are put on the market are becoming
better. This is due to the fact that
in past years the majority of oysters
were taken from public beds, whose
depletion had begun and whose ultt-
mate destruction was inevitable. Now
annually increasing numbers of oys-
private control.
In Virginia about SO per cent Of the
value of the States oyster industry
is contributed by grounds under cul-
tivation, and in Maryland an increas-
ingly large proportion Is from private
beds. New York and Connecticut, al
though their natural advantages for
oyster growing were much inferior
to those in Chesapeake Bay, went to
the front in passing laws to protect
the oyster and to lease or sell grounds
for planting purposes.
Oyster culture in the United States
consists in % acquiring suitable
submerged bottom, CD cleaning and
preparing that bottom for the growth
of oysters, (3) sowing thereon shells
or other material-known as clutch
for the attachment and growth of
the young oysters, 90 insuring the
production Of larval oysters by the
proximity of natural or planted beds
Of adult oysters, 60 protecting the
oyster beds from enemies, (6) trans
planting as occasion requires to pre-
vent overcrowding and to facilitate
growth and fattening, and CD Gull
ing and sorting for market.
Fattened for Market.
There are tricks in all trades and
in the oyster business growers in
some sections, in order to fatten the
oysters. transfer them from salt
water to braekish water for a short
time before shipping them to market.
This results in swelling of the
oyster to the full capacity of its
shell, but destroys certain nutritious
Ingredients, This process OF fatten-
ing deprives the oysters of 10 to Is
per cent OF their food value. while
increasing their weight from 10 to
30 per cent. The same result is OBJ
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