192 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



a year iu all. These are wholly in the shell, and go to the restaurants. In the case of every dealer, oysters form 

 only a portion of a general tish-trade, and so cannot be counted as " supported" by dealings in them. 



It was very difficult to ai'rive at any just estimate of the annual consumption of oysters in and through 

 Savannah. From what I could ascertain, I judge the yield of the transplanted beds to be less, rather than more, 

 than 15,000 bushels. If you add another 35,000 bushels of raccoon oysters gathered, I think the total will account 

 for all brought to Savannah. A planter told me he received 50 cents a gallon for opened oysters, and $1 per 

 bushel for the best single oysters. A leading dealer gave me present wholesale prices as 60 cents to •$! per gallon, 

 and $2 50 a barrel for shell-stock. I suppose the value of the 30,000 bushels estimated to be handled annually iu 

 Savannah, may be given as $25,000. 



Lower Geoegia. — Below Savannah all the sounds and lagoons and river- mouths are more or less obstructed 

 with oyster-reefs, and furnish many good raking- grounds. The denizens of Darien, Doboy, Saint Simon, Brunswick, 

 and Saint Mary, all procui'e oysters from their near neighborhood at small prices. Some intentions of planting 

 were once entertained at Brunswick, and I heard of an old county-ordinance that i^rohibited all outsiders from 

 touging there. 



Statistical recapitulation for GEORaiA: 



Number of tongers, pLinters, and wholesale dealers 300 



Value of shore-jjroperty |5, 000 



Number of boats 100 



Value of same, witb gear. $13,500 



Number of sbuckers hired by planters or dealers - 50 



Total number of families iiartially siipjjorted 200 



Annual sales of — 



I. Native oysters . bushels.. 70,000 



Value of same $35,000 



53. OYSTEE-IXTEEESTS OF EAST FLORIDA. 



Fernandina and vicinity. — This abundan(te becomes more and more noticeable as you approach Fernandina, 

 Florida. Every bit of sunken log iu the marshes, each fallen tree whose branches trail in the water, and row-boat 

 stake, becomes at once loaded down with "coons". Frequently large specimens are obtainable, and such are very 

 good, as I proved, but they are rarely eaten, and no attemjit whatever is made to utilize the easily obtainable 

 seed for transplanting. There is no legal protection or jiroper sentiment to encourage planting. If a boat-load is 

 brought in and laid down over night, even, the probabilities are that it will be stolen. Fernandina, then, gets all 

 its home oysters from beds 10 to 15 miles distant, where they grow large and singly : the favorite spot, at present, 

 is Crooked creek, over towards Saint Mary. The oystermen are colored fishermen, and no estimate can be 

 formed of the total catch. The price they receive is $1 per barrel. Iu addition to this an uncertain amount of 

 better oysters are brought to Fernandina from Cedar Keys, by rail. 



On the point of land terminating Old Fernandina are remains of an extensive Indian shell-heap; and in the 

 bottom of the harbor opjiosite the marshy shore between the old and new towns, was formerly an exceedingly 

 large bar of raccoon oysters. Latterly these have died, and now they are being washed up and are forming a long, 

 firm shell-beach. Here, as iu Georgia, the barnacles appear to be troublesome. 



Saint John's bar. — At the bar or mouth of Saiut John's river good oysters are obtained, though of a very salty 

 taste. They are eaten locally and s^eut now and then to Jacksonville by the fishermen. Jacksonville, however, 

 is supplied chiefly by Cedar Keys and Apalachicola, the latter, in my opinion, sending the best oysters sold in 

 Jacksonville. The amount consumed is not largq, and it frequently hajipens that the city will be wholly uusupplied. 

 Nobody seems to make an exclusive business of oyster-sales. 



Saint Augustine. — At Saint Augustine the oyster-supply is chiefly derived from the immediate shores, since 

 they are abundant everywhere. They are, as a rule, small and poor, the best coming from Matanzas, some miles 

 below. They sell them to cart-men who peddle them about the streets. The supply is irregular and uncertain, and 

 no planting whatever is practiced, or is demanded. Not more than 5,000 bushels a year, probably, are ever sold. 

 The boats used by the fishermen in oyster-gathering are small dug-out canoes. 



I did Jiot go down to Indian river, but have been informed that in many parts of the great system of estuaries 

 which extends from the upper end of Indian river down to Bay Biscayne, there are oyster-beds yielding edible 

 mollusks of large size and good flavor. I am willing to believe it. 



Beyond a reminder that evcry\rhere occur unlimited quantities of small, crowded 'coon oysters, at present 

 undesirable to eat, but always available as seed, and that undoubtedly it only requires further exploration to bring 

 to light many more good localities for gathering edible oysters, I close the account of the-eastern part of Florida, 

 and with it dismiss the Atlantic coast of the United States. 



