THE OYSTER-INDUSTRY. 41 



Votes of Town, March 3, 1879. 



Voted, That the Monument ami Barlow rivers bo closed for catching oysters from tlie first day of May nest, until the first day of 



October following. 



Voted That the ren-ulations concerning tlie taking of oysters from said first day of October until the next annual meeting, shall bo 

 the same as voted at a meeting adjourned from the anmial meeting in M.areh, 1878, to the fifth day of November in said year, which is as 

 follows: Any inhabitant may take one bushel of oysters iu each week, and no more, the same to be taken under the supervision of the 

 fish-committee of the town, who are directed to itrosecute all ijcrsous violating the regulations now voted. That Saturday iu each week 

 shall be the catching day. 



Voted, That the town sustain the officers chosen Iu all legal action pertaining to their office. 



Voted, That the town allow its inhabitants to take all the oysters they can with suitable instruments, such as drags, tongs, and rakes, 

 wherever they can find them, except on private grauts and iu Monument and Barlow rivers. 



Voted, That any person entitled to one bushel of oysters per week under the reguUations for the Monument and Barlow rivers, uuiy, by 

 an order, empower .another person to take said bushel of oysters for his or her family use. 



The people were quick to take advantage of these legal permits, and it was not long before nearly all space of 

 value was appropriated, and wild speculation began; but it is only within the last three or four years that much 

 business has been done, or systematic efforts at transplanting and stocking have been introduced. There are now 

 about 50 owners on Monument river, Cohasset river, and in Little bay, and a careful estimate of money invested 

 gives $30,000 as the probable value of grants, stock on baud (November, 1879), and appurtenances. Many of the 

 grants are as yet very slightly stocked with oysters. 



The Monument river oysters were famous in olden times for their superior quality and size. "They opened 

 well," the oystermen said ; that is, there was a large proportion of meat to the shell, which was thin, brittle, and 

 much scalloped. The first idea was simply to hold, as proprietors, the seed which were caught upon the grants from 

 the natural bed at the mouth of the river ; and, to facilitate this ciitching, more or less dead shells have been thrown 

 down. But the more enterprising planters have laid down great deposits of seed-oysters, purchased chiedy iu 

 Wareham, and these are just now beginning to produce their legitimate returns, having grown to a marketable 

 size. Some fresh seed is put down every year, but iu addition to this, it is expected that large accessions will be 

 made by spawn caught from the natural bed and from the spawning of the planted oysters. Since 1874, however, 

 very little spawn has been caught. In that year a vast quantity appeared,, but arrangements were not made 

 to avail themselves of it. ^ 



The amount of seed placed upon a grant varies with the pocket and theory of the owner, from 100 to 500 bushels 

 on an acre; perhaps 200 bushels would be an average of actual planting. The seed from one to two years old is 

 used and preferred. It is generally planted in the spring, when it can be bought for from 30 to 35 cents a bushel; 

 but it is thought much better to plant it in the fall, although then from GO to 80 cents is asked for the seed. It 

 costs about 10 cents a bushel to throw down. The best bottom (and that which is found everywhere here) is hard 

 sand, a little soft on top. The average depth of water on the beds is 3 feet ; but some stock is planted where it is 

 exposed or just covered at ebb-tide, the objection to this being the danger of damage from drifting ice, for the 

 mere resting of the ice on the oysters is not usually harmful, provided they lie flat on the sand. The calculated cost 

 of beginning business along this river now, would be about as follows: 



Present cost of good ground (1 grant) v^^ 



Seeding, 300 bushels at 50 cents 150 



Sail-boat and row-boat 55 



Beach, shanty, and furniture 40 



Eake, tongs, shovels, and tools - 10 



lucidentals - --■ ''>* 



Total 360 



One who is really going into the matter hopefully, must expect about this outlay before he considers his grant 

 in condition to yield. If he puts down shells for the spawn to catch upon, as he probably will, it will cost him 

 about 10 cents a bushel. 



Formerly Virginia oysters were planted and bedded here, but did not do well. The prices received for these 

 oysters, which are all picked over and shipped to Boston iu good shape, vary from $3 50 to $6 a barrel. In 1878, 

 the exports from the Buzzard's Bay station by rail were 138 barrels. Up to November 1, 1879, 240 barrels were 

 sent, making 300 barrels a probable total for that year. Besides this, in 1879, much opening was done by the 

 oystermen to supply the neighborhood market, and about 1,000 gallons of opened oysters were carried by express 

 companies, in small jiackages. 



Oyster-cultuke in Eed Brook harbor (Pocasset). — Another oyster-locality iu the town of Sandwich, 

 is Eed Brook harbor, six miles south of Monument river. The railway station is Pocasset, on the Wood's IIoll 

 branch of the Old Colony line. This harbor is an indentation of Buzzard's bay, about one and a half miles long by 

 one-third of a mile wide, and it is separated from the outer bay by an island. A branch of the harbor, also, runs 

 up to a landing known as Barlowtown. The name Eed Brook harbor is derived from a little stream which flows 

 into it, the bottom of which is tinged with iron rust; but this brook does not freshen the water to any considerable 



