354 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Doaue «Jc (Jo. once, had Slioalwater Bay oysters a short <Ii stance north 

 of Point San Bruno, but they were h)st during- a 'hiortlieaster," and 

 the locality Avas abandoned. The same firm lcei>t both siK'cies of oysters 

 in Oakland and vVlameda creeks, but these localities were abandoned 

 Avith the increase of traflic and on account of sewers. 



Before the introduction of the eastern species, oyster-dealers in San 

 Francisco maintained a trade in Wilhipa hay oj'sters, which is con- 

 tinued uj) to the present time. As these oysters are obtained readily 

 from their natural beds, no attempt is made to propagate them here; 

 they are simply freshened before they are iimrketed. Tlie localities 

 originally used for bedding oysters by Morgan «& Co., Doane »S: Co., 

 Sw^anberg & West, and other firms now consolidated with the Morgan 

 Oyster Company, viz, Sausalito, Point San Quentin, Slice]) Island, and 

 Oakland and Alameda creeks, have all been abandoned in favor of 

 localities south of San Francisco, where the nearest are from 10 to 15 

 miles removed from the infiuence of the Sacramento River, and where 

 they are almost free from deposits of sediment. There was ahvays a 

 large percentage of loss from oysters settling in the mud at the old 

 localities. I examined all these old beds, but found no oysters on any 

 of them. 



When oyst(MS arc removed from certain localities to others better 

 suited to their fattening, the shells of the native oysters are knocked 

 off them with a light, long-bladed, adz-shaped instrument adapted to 

 the jnirpose. 



In the frequent ti'ansplanting of oysters may be found another feature 

 of their treatment tending to reduce propagation ; many eastern oyster- 

 men consider "plants" (transplanted oysters) infertile for a year or 

 two. If there is truth in this the extent to which oysters are moved at 

 San Francisco must certainly have its influence. 



Seed oysters are brought to San Francisco in the fall by fiist freight. 

 Not more than 10 per cent loss is expected under ordinarily favorable 

 circumstances. The mere freezing of the liquid about the oyster is not 

 considered injurious. In illustration of the length of time cold or frozen 

 oysters may remain out of water without losing tlxMr vitality, Mr. 

 Morgan told me that from a luimber of carloads of oysters consigned 

 to his company one car was lost through some mistake and turned ui) 

 in St. Louis. When it finally arrived at San Francisco, after being two 

 months on the way, and the frozen oysterts were bedded, it was found 

 that there was but little more loss than in shipments of ordinary dura- 

 tion. 



A new comi^any, the Chesapeake Oyster Company, a branch of the 

 International Oyster Company of New York, has lately begun the ship- 

 ment of fresh marketable oysters to San Francisco, and at present has 

 a quantity of them deposited at Sausalito. 



