416 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



coast that a Philadelphia firm recently made a proposition to take all that may be 

 caught along the coast this season, with the view of working much of it into mince- 

 meat. The Cape May company, it is said, will reject the offer, as it already has offers 

 from prominent Philadelphia and New York hotels and restaurants, and it is believed 

 that there will be a demand for the meat which cannot be met. The meat is red and 

 juicy, and resembles in appearance beef, but is more solid, finer-grained, and very 

 tender ; much more like venison, which it resembles in flavor. They are taken in 

 seines about 1,000 feet long and very wide, and when captured, if not already drowned, 

 are killed by stabbing with knives. It would seem that the outlook for the success 

 of a new and valuable industry being established along our coast is most excellent. 



137.— ANSWERS TO. QUESTIONS ABOUT FATTENING OISTERS,' 



By JOHN A. RTDEB. 



(1) Oysters are not usually "fed" for market; they are sometimes 

 taken from their original bed and carried to the "floats," where fresher 

 water is allowed access to them. Absolutely fresh water would kill 

 them. The fresher water is absorbed in quantity, and gives them an 

 appearance of plumpness. 



(2) In such a case they are piled up in mass on the float, but this 

 will not matter ; they may be scattered thinly over the float or on a 

 bottom where somewhat fresher water reaches them. 



(3) Oysters can be "water-swollen" in this way in twenty-four hours. 

 It is a trick of dealers, resorted to to make their oysters more salable. 



(4) The natural food of the oyster is small or very minute animals 

 and plants belonging to widely different orders and classes, plants 

 mainly, however, known as diatoms. 



(5) There is no ready-made preparation put up for the purpose of 

 feeding oysters. If there is it may be pronounced a humbug. I have 

 heard of corn-meal being used, and some of it would doubtless be di- 

 gested by the animals, but the way in which I have always heard of its 

 being used is exceedingly wasteful, and the amount actually ingested 

 by the animals as food during the short time they are fed is quite insig- 

 nificant. 



These matters have been somewhat fully discussed in papers by the 

 writer of this, and published in the reports of the Commission, Census, 

 and Geological Survey. 



Washington, D. C, December 24, 1884. 



* Writing from Biloxi. Miss., December 17, 1884, Mr. John E. Morrison made the 

 following inquiries : 



(1) Are oysters placed in fresh, salt, or brackish water preparatory to being fed ? 



(2) Are they scattered singly in the water or piled up promiscuously ? 



(3) What length of time does it generally take to fatten them ? 



(4) What is the best food for oysters f 



(5) Is there any preparation put up for feeding oysters, or is corn-me»l the best for 

 them If 



