THE OYSTER-INDUSTRY. 91 



partially upon his professional means of support, the attention he pays to it and the income he derives, varying 

 with each good or bud season. Most oystermen are also farmers or iisherraen. Many of them, also, keeiJ summer 

 hotels, and thus add largely to their income during the dull season at the beds. 



Every sui>i>osed available spot for oyster-operations, probably, is now set apart for that purpose, not only 

 inside of the Norwalk islands, but also in the outside waters of the sound off the mouth of the harbor. Only a 

 portion of this is in use, however; in all, about 080 acres out of 2,300, in round numbers, which have been desiguated 

 in Norwalk harbor. The average ])roduction at present, therefore, is less than 100 bushels to the acre of land 

 actually cultivated, and only about 28 bushels to the acre of bottom held for the purpose of oyster-cultivation. I 

 see no reason why future years ought not to see ten times as large a projjortiou. 



The fleet of Norwalk used by the oystermen in their business, consists of 2 steamboats, a dozen sloops, and 

 about 30 sharpies and sailboats, of less size and value than the "sloops", most of them being without decks. 

 Besides this there are skiffs innumerable. This disparity in the number of large sloops between so important a 

 place as Norwalk and some of the small ports westward, is explained by the fact that the planters here do not often 

 themselves take their goods to New York. 



What shall be given as the amount of the investment at South J^orwalk is a difficult question. The answer 

 can hardly be more than guessed at. There are several large warehouses and offices devoted* to the work. 

 Extensive wharves have been built, and arrangements for landing are made. Thei'e are 25 or 30 "arks", as they 

 are termed, or floating oyster-hoiises, made by housing in half a canal-boat, a scow, or some old hulk, and there is an 

 extensive outfit of boats and tools. I judge that the following table represents nearly the truth of the case: 



2,300 acres oyster-ground, worth $6, 000 



Sliore-property for busiuess-use 10, 000 



."Arks" and scow-houses 5, 000 



Sloops aud other boats 2"), 000 



Steamers (i, 000 



Floats, diedges, tools, etc 3,000 



55, 000 



This, of course, leaves out all estimate upon the value of the oysters now upon the beds, or the money which 

 has been spent (aud suuk) in improvement, up to this time. This is a matter which it would be exceedingly difficult 

 to ascertain, and of small importance, because constantly varjing and undecided. I suppose about $50,000 a 

 year are reinvested in the beds at Norwalk, counting the time of the planters as so much money ; if it were cash 

 expended, however, instead of their own labor, they could not follow it. Few can afford to hire help, except 

 occasionally, for a few days at a time. Wages, in that case, are from $1 to $2 per day. 



Saddle-rock oysters. — From a particular part of Norwalk harbor, many years ago, came to Tom Donan's 

 famous old shop in Broad street. New York, the original " Saddle-rocks", named from the reef around which they 

 grew. These oysters were so large that 25 would fill a bushel basket; yet they were tender aud luscious, and 

 often sold for from 15 to 30 cents apiece. But they were not very numerous, and the raking of them was so 

 profitable that the supply was quickly exhausted. Like the generous host who gave them name and fame, they 

 have long ago departed, except from the brandiug-irou aud sign-board of the dealer, whose " Saddle-rocks " now 

 may have come from anywhere except Xorwalk. 



That is the story as I was told it at South Norwalk ; since writing it I have seen an article on the subject, taken 

 from the Few Yorlc Observer, and vouched for by the Eev. Samuel Loekwood, who speaks of the writer as " our 

 friend, Dr. O. R. Willis ". This article places Saddle rock on the opposite shore of the sound. It reads thus : 



The original Saddle-rock oyster was not only very large, but possessed a peculiar, delicious flavor, which gave it its reputation. 

 And it received its name because it was discovered near a rock known as Saddle rock. A high northwest wind, continued for several 

 successive days, always causes very low tides in Long Island sound and ita bays. On the form of David Allen, situated near the head of 

 Groat Neck, on the eastern slioro of Little Neck bay, Ls a rock about 20 feet high, and from 15 to 20 feet in diameter. The shape of the 

 top of this rock resembles somewhat the form of a saddle, and from that circumstance is called Saddle rock. At low water the upper or 

 land side of this rock is left bare, while the opposite or lowor side is in the water. In the autuuni of 1827, after a strong northwest wind 

 had been blowing for three days, a very low tide occurred, aud the water retreated far below the rock, leaving a space wide enough for a 

 team of oxen to pass quite around it. This extraordinary low tide revealed a bed of oysters ju.st below the rock. The oysters were very 

 large, and possessed the most delicate flavor ; we collected cart-loads of them, and placed them in our mill-pond (tide-mill). The news 

 of the discovery spread among the oystermen, and Tjoat -loads soon found their way to the city, where, oh account of their excellent flavor, 

 they commanded fancy prices, even reaching §10 a hundred! — an enormous price for those days. In a very short time the locality was 

 exhausted, aud for more than forty years (here has not been a real Saddle-rock oyster in the market. 



South shore of East river. -On the southern side of Long Island sound the " East river" extends as far 

 as Port Jefferson, which lies nearly opposite Bridgeport. Beginning at the jSTan-ows above HeU Gate, as before, 

 we find the remains of ancient native oyster-beds all ah)ng the shore. This was one of the favorite points of 

 market sui)ply for New York years ago. Its traditions remaiu, as witnessed by the followiug paragrai>h from 

 DeVoe's Market Assistant : 



In the montli of September, 1859, a discovery of a great oyster-bed was made at Eaton's Neck, on the Long Island shore, by five 

 fishermen from Darieu, Connecticut. It is stated that " they found themselves too far out, and dropping overboard an oyster-dredge to 



