566 



MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



Less than 10 per cent of all the oysters produced in the United States are 

 sold in shells. After being washed and conditioned, the oysters are sorted accord- 

 ing to different grades, packed in barrels, and shipped to their destinations. Even 

 during fairly warm weather shipping of oysters in shells requires no icing. 



(.Courtesy U. S. Fish and Wildlife Sozicc) 

 Fig. 26-11. Removable conveyor for unloading oysters. 



Commercial Brands 



Atlantic and Gulf states' oysters (O. virginica) are usually sold under various 

 trade names, such as Bluepoint, Chincoteague, Maurice Cove, Cotuit, Lynnhaven, 

 and so on, which refer to the name of the bay or harbor in which they are pro- 

 duced or to the name of the nearest town. Thus, the popular brand "Bluepoint" 

 refers to oysters planted and cultivated in the waters of Great South Bay on Long 

 Island. The New York State Legislature recognized the popularity of this brand 

 by enacting a law (Section 320, Conservation Laws, New York State) which 

 states that no person, firm, or corporation shall sell or offer for sale under the 

 name of "Bluepoint" any oysters other than those which have been planted for 

 at least 3 months in the waters of Great South Bay. According to the Regulations 

 of the U. S. Department of Agriculture "the use of a geographical name shall not 

 be permitted in connection with food and drug products not manufactured or 

 produced in that place, when such name indicates that the article was manufac- 

 tured or produced in that place" (Reg. 298, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau 

 of Chemistry, 1918). In practice, and especially in selling live oysters for half- 

 shell trade, the restriction imposed by this regulation is disregarded and the 

 brands under which some of the oysters are sold refer rather to their size than 

 to the place of origin or cultivation. Thus, any small oysters are frequently called 

 "Bluepoints," although they may come from Chesapeake Bay, the Carolinas, or 

 elsewhere. Likewise, the name "Lynnhaven" is frequently given to oysters of large 

 size and slightly elongated shape. Small native oysters of the Pacific Coast (O. lu- 



