106 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



that he will sell only to them and share the profits equally. This sort of bargain is encouraged by the shippers, 

 and a diligent man need never fear to undertake such an obligation, since it is bound to be mutuallj' profitable, If 

 properly conducted ; yet many cases have occurred where the offer has been refused, for no api^arent reason better 

 than lazy shiftlessness. Indeed, it is an unfortunate characteristic of too many of these seemingly shrewd and 

 certainly hardy and adventurous bay men, that they are contented with the small supplies of the happy moment, 

 unwarned by past scarcity to provide against future suflering, and are as reckless of advantages which might be 

 improved, as they are of saving the money in hand. To this indiftei'ence may be traced their slowness to experiment 

 toward the improvement of their oyster-grounds, or the preservation of more of the vast abundance of spat which, 

 they all believe, whether it is the fact or not, is drifting just under the steely-blue surface of their beautiful 

 midsummer bay. 



Prices of Blue Point oysters. — The prices of Blue Point oysters have never been lower than at present; 

 even a hundred years ago more money was paid for them than now, which shows the general public advantage of 

 cultivation. During the season of 1870-80, the prices paid the producers by the packers ranged from $1 50 a 

 bushel for small lots of "best selected", to 60 cents for poor stuff. Much was sold at a dollar, but a fairer 

 average would be 00 cents. Twenty years ago, according to Count Ponrtales' report, "$2 to $3 a bushel" was 

 the selling price. For those destined to form foreign shipments, from $.'> 50 to B-i a barrel was paid, the highest 

 prices ruUng near Patchogue, and the lowest westward. This was from 20 to 30 per cent, above the prices paid at 

 the same time for the "Sounds", although the latter were better received and worth more in the English market 

 than those costing moi-e here. The profits iu "Blue Points" and "East Rivers", therefore, wei'e small, while those 

 in "Sounds" were fair, if not large. 



Aggregate valine of Blite Point oyster-crops. — Multiplying the 215,000 bushels sold between Bellport 

 and Bayshore ("Blue Points") by. 00 cents, the average price, gives §193,500 as the approximate amount of money 

 l^ut into the pockets of the oystermen along a strip of about 20 miles of shore. Dividing this among 900 families 

 (see page 101) gives an average of about $215 as the season's income for each. This takes no account of the two 

 or three hundred single men, who earned $2 a day at oysteiing during a portion of the season, but a considerable 

 part of whose earnings reverted to their employers or neighbors, in payment for board and supplies. 



Babylon : " Oak Island " oysters. — At Babylon the business of oyster-cultivation is comparatively a modern 

 institution, though IMessrs. UdaU and Oakley, with some others, have been at it for ten years or more. 



No natural oyster-beds are to be found in this town, or nearer than Brookhaven bay ; uor have they ever 

 existed, except that in the inlets and tideways through the beaches and marshy islands opposite the village of 

 Babylon, as in the neighborhood of Fire island, occasional scattering patches of young sometimes "catch". Unless 

 taken up the same fall, however, they rarely survive, and no dependence is placed upon this chance supply. Now 

 and then a few at Oak Island will manage to live and grow. They develop a remarkably fine flaX'or and bring 

 extraordinary prices in the market. 



There are said to be about 1,000 acres of bottom belonging to the town suitable for oyster-culture, but only 

 about 200 acres are at present improved. These are all alongshore and almost wholly around Oak Island, on the 

 southern shore of the bay, since the central part of this broad, shallow lagoon grows full of eel-grass in midsummer, 

 the bottom everywhere being muddy. The water is nowhere more than 6 or 7 feet deep at high-tide, and the larger 

 part of the grounds are laid bare at low water. On this account there is great risk iu trying to keep any oysters 

 upon the beds through the winter, the ice often settling upon the beds at low tide, freezing fast to mud and oysters, 

 and carrying both away when it drifts ofif upon the rising tide. The winter of lS78-'79 was destructive of nearly all 

 the beds in this way. Such complete devastation is rare, however, and the winter of 1879-'S0 was so mild that no 

 harm was done. Men vho cross to the beaches, shooting or wrecking in winter, often find a feast in the oysters 

 which are fi'ozen into the cakes of ice piled up on the shore, and these are the best, too, for the shallowest water 

 Ijroduces the finest quality. 



There are at Oak Island 30 planters, each of whom cultivates 4 acres under the special state law enacted for 

 Babylon and Islip. This law, which, in 1878, was made to take the place of previous statutes, comprises several 

 sections, and reads substantially as follows : 



Section 1. Any person of full age, who has been an inhabitant of Islip or Babylon, Suffolk county, for one year, upon complying 

 ■with the ensuing conditions, may ' ' locate a lot not exceeding four acres iu extent under the public waters of the Great South bay, iu cither 

 of said towns, where the taking of clams cannot be profitably followed as a business", and shall have exclusive ownership. 



Sec. 2. "For the purpose of ascertaining aTid determining what » • * portions of said bay may be taken for the pui-pose of 

 planting oysters as aforesaid, a board of commissioners, consisting of two from the town of Islip and one from the town of Babylon, whose 

 official titles shall be 'oyster-commissioners', shall be appointed each by the board of town-auditors * • * of his or their said town, 

 respectively". They hold office one year, their appointment to be certified to by the auditors and filed with the town clerk. 



Secs. 3, 4, 5. Each oyster-commissioner must take an oath of office and furnish a bond of $aOO or more for the faithful perfonnanco of 

 his duties; in case of refusal to serve, or vacancy, the auditors may appoint a substitute. 



Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of said commissioners » * * to attend and examine the lot applied for, and ascertain and determine 

 whether the taking of clams can or cannot bo profitably followed as a business thereon ; and if they shall determine that it cannot, then, 

 and not otherwise, they shall locate the lot for him, which shall be clearly marked and defined. The coraniissioners must also secure maps 

 and surveys of .all ground allotted, and on all questions of boundary the decisions of the commissioners shall bo final. On payment by 



