The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-11-11

Some Wellfleet oysters call,
others do cry,
Fine Shellsea cookies, or
white muscles buy"
In England each year there is held
the time-honored ceremonial of de-
claring open for the season the
Colne Oyster Fishery, which, accord
ing to ancient wording Hath from
man runneth not to the contrary
been within the province of the
Colchester Corporation. Officials OF
Colchester and members of the
Colne Fishery Board WHICH manages
the fishery, make tour of the
grounds followed by quaint cere-
mony which includes the reading of
the ancient documents relating to
the grant of the fishery to the Cor
poration, the dispatch of telegram
to the King, intimating that accord
ing to ancient custom and charter of
over 900 years, the fishery had been
opened for the season and that the
officials are drinking to the Kings
health. This is accomplished with
gin to the compartment of the con-
sumption of squares of ginger bread.
Each year the group is addressed by
some distinguished guest. Last years
guest speaker, Sir Holman Gregory,
former Recorder of London, had
this timely bit of advice to give:
" Nowadays the world is bubbling
and boiling and there seems nj
chance of settling down. What
pity it is that we cannot cultivate
enough oysters to give our polite
ians throughout the world and ge,
them into the state of mind that We
are in at this moment"
AS to the reason for q closed sea-
son on the English oyster, / think
we may find the answer in its
method of reproduction. While out
eastern oyster discharges the sex
elements into the surrounding
waters, in the English oyster the
young are retailed in the chamber
for a week or more, during which
time they develop the rudiments VI
the fully formed shell, the tiny lar
vac passing through successive color
changes from white to gray to blue
gray, slate and finally to purplish
parent oysters are carrying from
100000 to a million of the develop
ing young it is understandable why
they should not be SO desirable fol
market. AS to the reasons for the
general lack of market demand fol
our American oysters, there appears
to be variety of causes. First, it Is
probable that the early settlers
brought over with them the custom
that oysters should not be eaten dur
ing R-less months. Furthermore an
oyster full of spawn is less attractive
and after spawning is poor, not s.
palata BILE as fat oyster, and finally
it is only in recent years that we
have had adequate cool storage
facilities all along the line from
packer to the consumers modern re
frigerator suitable for keeping the
oysters in perfectly fresh condition
Not only may our oysters be eat
en- with safety during the summer
months, but there is actually a grow
ing summer trade. There is also a
considerable export trade to Eng
land for supplying their market
during the summer months when
their native oysters are unmarked
able, and with the rapid increase in
the output of the quiek-frozen pro
duct, packed when the oysters are a
their best and placed on the market
as needed, the cOnsumptioE II oys
tiers during the R-less months is ex-
pected to show considerable growth
Oysters sell best in cold weather
in fact are usually --latest" and
most highly favored at this season
When we speak of an oyster being
"fat'' we do not mean that the fat
content is high but the supply OF
glycogen sometimes called animal
starch, is high. Oysters arc note
worthy for their high glycogen con-
tent, substance resembling starch
but more readily and easily as
simulated, and unlike starch, wholly
digestible, even when uncooked. In
vestigations indicate that the glyco-
gen content of our eastern oyster is
lowest in early summer in the
spawning season whes the protein
content is highest and that the gly-
cogen content increases during late
summer and fall. This investigator
also claims that the oysters are at
their best and have the finest flavor
when the glycasea content is greater
than 2OT5 of the dry weight.
Summing up our needs for eating
oysters, DIR. Rene Nool ,of Paris, says
"Thus the oyster is not merely a
valuable food. 1t is precious med
icine which should not remain un-
known"
A medical expert, after careful
study, has recognized the therapeu-
La % he In q