T1IK OYSTEli INDUSTRY. 



exerted by other ports <m Long Island Sound, at none nt' which has tliis branch of trade ever flour- 

 ished extensively. Many or all of the old dealers, or their heirs, eontinne to bring and lied down 

 southern oysters, which they Offer for shipment in the autumn and \\inter. Iii 1SSO the year's 

 im)iortation ainoiinted to about l.~>0,<l(l() bushels. Those from the Bappahannock were the favor- 

 ites for winter use, and \\ere imported almost exclusively ; for planting purposes, however, Kap- 

 pahaniioek oysters were undesirable, and those from Fishing Hay, Saint Mary's, and CriMidd 

 preferred. The .meat success, however, which has followed the cultivation of native oysters, at 

 Xew Haven (and elsewhere in Connecticut), particularly on the deep-water farms, has caused a 

 continual diminution of the receipts of a Virginias" there, not only for bedding but lor immediate 

 sale in winter. Several men who regularly used them in 18SO had completely ceased to do so by 

 the season of 3S83-'84, and during the coming season (18S4-'8.j) probably not more than half the 

 amount named above, or say L';jO,000 bushels, are likely to be brought to New Haven. Though 

 the prices fluctuate, the general tendency is toward an increase of the cost of this stock. 



In the lower part of New York Bay immense plantations of southern oysters (there called 

 " soft," or " fresh," in contradistinction to the "hard" and '-salt" stock native to the locality) 

 have been carried ou since 1S25. The central place is Prince's Bay, Stateii Island, and about 300 

 bushels are bedded there annually. 



The methods of work', beginning in March, are not different from those pursued elsewhere and 

 need not be redescribed. Bappahaunock and York Biver stock seems to have been preferred 

 always in this district, and a large number of sloops and schooners run each spring to and from 

 those livers. The crews of these vessels are not only native Jerseymen or Stateu. Islanders, but 

 often Chesapeake men, who come up tor a brief season's work and then return to their homes. 



"They are required," says an account written in 1853, " in the transplanting of a bed, to 

 heave the oysters overboard, to clean the bed about once a year, and perform various other work 

 of a like description. The cleaning of the beds takes place generally every fall, and is accom- 

 plished by means of ' scrapers,' singular looking instruments, somewhat resembling scythes, with 

 this exception, that at one side of the blade a large bag, constructed of iron ring-work, like many 

 purses we have seen, is attached. Into this all the scourings of the bed, cleaned off with the front 

 of the blade, fall, and the whole is hauled up at regular intervals and deposited in the boat, to be 

 afterward thrown into the current. In this manner the whole floor of the bed is scraped quite 

 clean, after which it is considered fit for the reception of the oysters." I doubt if this could be 

 observed now. A similar effect is produced by the process of taking up the oysters in the fall, 

 which begins with the first cool days of September. This is done by tougiug from small boats, 

 near which a sloop anchors upon the bed, in which the men are quickly carried out and home 

 again, and easily transport their load. Thus the larger part of the harvest is gathered, until the 

 oysters become scarce upon the ground. Then a dredge is thrown over from the sloop, which 

 cruises back and forth across the ground until it is wholly cleaned up. longing over the side of 

 a skiff is hard enough work, and requires sturdy, broad-chested men; but dredging is a still more 

 terrible strain upon the muscles, when it comes to dragging the heavy iron frame and bag up 

 from the rough bottom, and lifting it and its load over the rail onto the deck of the vessel. 

 Many of the newer and larger sloops are now provided with a windlass, specially adapted to 

 dredging (see illustration), which relieves the crews to a great extent of the old hand-over-hand 

 back-breaking labor. Drag-rakes are also used very frequently on these grounds, having very 

 long, limber handles. In Connecticut steamers are being used to a greater and greater extent in 

 taking up the harvest, and this dredging, by whatever method, scrapes and cleans the bottom of 

 filth, dead shells, and d6bris very advantageously. 



