CHAPTER IX 



IMPLEMENTS AND THEIR USES— BOATS— 



THE PREPARATION OF OYSTERS 



FOR MARKET 



HE expense to the oyster culturist of provid- 

 ing himself with appliances for carrying on 

 his trade is slight as compared with that in 

 many other fields of labor. He must have 

 boats, large or small as the magnitude of his undertaking 

 demands. But besides these, there is little else that he 

 must purchase if he does not himself attempt to market 

 his crop. Oysters are removed from the bottom by 

 means of tongs and dredges, the former being used in 

 shallow and the latter in deep water. 



Tongs are of the same general pattern everywhere on 

 the coast. As shown in Figure 48, two long wooden 

 shafts or handles are crossed like scissors blades and 

 held together with a " pin," or " pivot." The lower 

 end of each shaft bears an iron head fashioned like a 

 garden rake. Just above this is a basket-like arrange- 

 ment of small iron rods that prevents oysters from falling 

 when the two rakes are brought together. 



Tonging is done from boats the length of which 

 seldom exceeds twenty-five feet. These are usually fitted 

 with a plank on either side level with the gunwale and 

 extending from stem to stern. On this the tonger stands 

 and lowers the head of the tongs to the bottom (Figures 



129 



