358 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Vessels. — The vessels employed are sclioouers, sloops, scows, flouts, 

 and a iew small rowboats. 



The floats are lar^^e barges with the bottom }>lanks sufficiently sepa- 

 rated to admit the water freely. They are used as temporary recepta- 

 cles ibr oysters that have beeuciilledaiidcleaiied,aiKl to keep them fresh 

 Avhile awaiting transfer to market. They are kept afloat by " air boxes," 

 i. c, air-tight compartments along the sides and ends, and, in extra 

 large floats, lengthwise through the middle. The bottom is made of 

 3-inch square timbers separated by half-inch spaces. The float thus 

 constructed has a free circulation of water among tlie oysters stored in 

 it, and will hold great quantities of them in a fresh and healthy condi- 

 tion. Floats are constructed in varying sizes adapted to the require- 

 ments of each station, the large double floats with central air box being 

 usually 40 feet long by 20 wide. The single compartment floats are 

 about half this size. 



The scows are used in tonging up oysters and for sorting and other- 

 wise handling them. They are shallow and flat-bottomed, with sides 

 very slightly tapering from the middle to tlie square ends. The flush 

 decks slope a little toward the low rail strip at the sides. Each end is 

 fltted with a large iron ring, through which the heavy propelling poles 

 are jiassed and driven by hand into the mud to steady it in tonging. 

 In this 0])eration the scow is gradually moved broadside across the 

 oyster bed, permitting a thorough taking-up of all oysters iii its course, 

 which is previously laid out by oc-casional light poles set upon the bed 

 at low tide. When loaded, the scow is pushed alongside the float and 

 moored to it until its oysters are culled. Scows are made in dift'erent 

 sizes, with decks averaging 8 feet ])y 24 feet. 



The sloops or "plungers" in use are built upon several models, some 

 of them with flush decks and a large central cockpit divided by a ceuter- 

 board. A larger size is a keel boat with low deckhouse. Both forms 

 are conunonly cat-rigged. They are employed for general transporta- 

 tion between the oyster stations and to carry oysters to market. 



A good-sized schooner of unusually light draft has been built by the 

 Morgan Oyster Com[)any ibr oyster work in the bay and has been found 

 very eflicient. 



When the tide goes out and all these craft are left high and dry upon 

 the tide lands, the workmen, patting on leather-soled rubber boots for 

 wading in the mud, are employed in leveling or otherwise improving 

 the surface for oyster bedding. 



EmploycH. — Usually about 100 men are employed upon the oyster 

 beds of San Fiancisco Bay, this nuniber being considerably increased 

 at certain times. They are recruited from the ranks of the sea-going 

 class, nearly alw.ays numerous about the wharves of San Francisco, 

 and are constantly changing, none of them <leveloping into regular 

 oystermen. About DO ])er cent of them are of Scandinavian origin. 



