The Rise And Decline Of The Ol^mpia Oyster 



7 



Seeding and Cylf'ivating Olympia Oysfers 



BUT AFTER THE DIKING AND LEVELING HAS 

 been done, what then? 



The Olympia Oyster is four to five years of age when 

 harvested. The higher level dikes are generally the seed 

 dikes. Each oysterman has studied his ground and knows 

 where seed sets the best. The deeper levels usually grow 

 a better marketable oyster, a fatter and more firm oyster, 

 with a beautiful velvet rim. The Olympia Oyster (Ostrea 

 lurida) is a bi-sexual animal; the organism of both male 

 and female being within the same shell. In the spring, as 

 the waters warm, the male sperms are thrown in- 

 to the water. Later, generally in early June, the eggs 

 which have been produced and held inthe shell are fertil- 

 ized by male sperms which the oyster has taken in 

 as it feeds. The oysterman then knows spawning time 



(41) 



