THE OYSTER-INDUSTRY. 151 



does not appear — do oue exerts himself to do so. Another method iu vogue, is, for the regularly licensed boat 

 aud crew of some man, who wishes to plant on the Delaware shore, to run out with the day's dredgings and, 

 under cover of night, transfer the deck-load to some old schooner chartered in the Chesapeake or elsewhere out of 

 this region, for the purpose. The ostensible purpose, if discovered, is merely the trade iu these oysters, but really 

 she runs across to the western shore, and lias thrown over her load before daylight, and returns the next night for 

 a second venture iu blockade-run uing. The courts aud the sentinels are very vigilant and strict, however, and 

 every now and then some of the Philadelphia men or some of the Jerseymen themselves are arrested and fined. It 

 is a widespread opiuion, however, that some of the provisions of the New Jersey law are unconstitutional, being 

 violations of inter-state comity, aud an attempt at jurisdiction beyond the state's limits of power. The plea in 

 defense is, that when New Jersey entered the Union she relinquished none of the old colouial rights reserved to her 

 under the king's charter. It is not my iuteutiou to discuss this matter, which remains to be decided some day by 

 the Supreme Court of the United States. 



The Delaware, or "western shore" planting-grounds, lie chiefly opposite the central part of the state, the 

 villages of Little Creek Landing and Mahon's Ditch, close to Dover, being the homes of most of the oystermen. 

 There is some desullory catching in Indian river at the southern extremity of the state, but of little consequence. 

 The beds are chiefly so near shore as to be iu less than 10 feet depth of water, though some are as deep as 15 feet 

 at low tide. Various sorts of bottom occur, but stiff mud is preferred. Iu the course of a dozen years' planting 

 on such a spot, the mud, by accumulation of shells aud refuse, is converted into a solid surface. It thus is made 

 suitable for the deposit of spawn and the growth of young oysters, which, proceeding continuously, replaces the 

 formerly barren bottom with a genuine natural bed or "oyster-rock". The title to the plot is 'not disputed, 

 however, as it wouM be in some districts, because of this change, and the ground becomes extremelj' valuable, 

 since it forms a natural nursery for the farm. 



It is the custom to allow all northern seed to lie over two winters before sending to market. There are 

 occa-ional exceptions, but to dispose of a native bed at the end of a single year's growth is generally condemned, 

 and with wisdom. Under this arrangement, however, a large part of the plantatiou must lie idle every alternate 

 year ; and in view of this, many of the Delaware men com])lain that the limit of 15 acres, defined by the state-law 

 as the size of a single fiirm, is too small. It may be, considering the fact that, as I was assured, all the farms are 

 cultivated at present up to their full capacity. The growth of the business may now properly call for au 

 enlargement of the privileged holdings. 



Taking vp oysters: Season and "Siethods. — The season for taking the crop opens in September, and 

 produces from Delaware waters from five to ten thousand bushels annually of natural growth, large sized, 

 marketable oysters, but these are not always kept separate iu shipment from the planted stock. In taking up 

 the jjlauted beds of northern oysters, it is calculated that they shall yield, at the least, au equal measure to the 

 amount of seed put down. By count, however, there will not be more than half as many, showing that 50 per 

 cent, of the blisters pei-ish. The profit, then, is almost wholly on the growth ; but as, after from eighteen months 

 to two years' waiting, the stock which cost, i)ut down, say 25 cents, sells, bushel for bushel, at from 75 cents td 

 $1 25, the return is a very fair one. It is not always, however, that as much (by measure) comes up as goes down, 

 and I have estimated my total accordingly, at a deduction. 



In the process of taking up a bed of oysters, here, each dredgeful is culled immediately on board, and all the 

 " trash", that is, undersized oysters, shells, and refuse is saved, and at the end of the dredging is taken to the "idle- 

 ground", w'here a field of seed is growing, and emptied upon it. Much of this trash is alive aud will mature. 

 When, six months (or perhaps not until eighteen months) later, this idle-ground is overhauled and culled out for 

 market, it will be found to have been considerably reinforced by the " trash". A second good effect of this system 

 is, that it thoroughly scrapes clean the ground from which the season's salable crop is gathered — an advantage not 

 to be lightly estimated. 



The season ends about jMay 1, when the sloops cease taking any more cargoes to market, for lack of stock to 

 carry. It is needless to say that nothing but occasional lots, by express, goes fi-om this coast to Philadelphia by 

 rail. 



In accordance with the law, a watch-boat, in the shape of a fast schooner, once a pleasure yacht, aud hence 

 comfortably fitted up, patrols the beds every day and at night, whenever any danger is expected, but ordinarily 

 comes into dock at Mahon's ditch each evening. 



A resume of the facts given above, in regard to the planting of native oysters on the shores of the state of 

 Delaware, is as follows : 



Location of beds ofi" Little Creek landing. 



Source of seed, l)oth shores of Delaware bay. 



Market, Philadelphia. 



Price, 80 cents to $1 50 per bushel. 



Number of vessels (partially) engaged, Go. 



Number of bushels " natural growth" sold, 5,000. 



Number of bushels " northern plants ", about 300,000. 



