42 THE OYSTER AND THE OYSTER INDUSTRY. 



On the small boats, in compliance with State law, the oysters are 

 ciilled on a board placed across the boat, as in Plate XI. 



DREDGES AND DREDGING BOATS. 



The hand dredge is shown in Plate XV, figure 1. It consists 

 essentially of two triangles made of three-fourths inch iron bar, 

 joined at the apices, and the bases separated about 18 inches by 

 curved bars, as seen in the figure at left. It usually measures 4 or 5 

 feet in width. The base of the lower triangle consists of a bar about 

 1| inches thick, to which are welded teeth about 3 inches long, set about 

 3 inches apart. To a ring at the apex of the dredge a rope or wire 

 ca])le is attached, by which the dredge is lowered and raised, either 

 by hand or by the hand windlass. Plate XVT, figure 1 , shows a small 

 dredging sloop or ''skipjack^' under sail on Chesapeake Bay, the 

 dredge on the port side being lifted and the hand windlass visible 

 beyond it. In some States, as Maryland, somewhat heavier dredges 

 than this are operated by the use of a donkey engine placed on the 

 deck of a sailing vessel (PL XVIl, fig. 2). Plate XVl, figure 2, 

 shows such a dredging schooner at work. These vessels are pro- 

 pelled entirely by sails, it being illegal to dredge with other than 

 sails as motive power; the engine merely operates the dredge. 



From one to three dredges are usually operated from each side of 

 the boat, each dredge being raised and emptied in turn. Plate XVII, 

 figure 1, shows the dredge being thrown overboard and the roller over 

 which the chain moves in lowering and raising it. After the fidl 

 dredge is lifted it is allowed to rest on the roller and is emptied by 

 pulling the ba^ forward (PI. XVII, fig. 2), thus turning it wrong side 

 out and dumping the oysters on deck. The dredge is then dropped 

 overboard again. The oysters are culled on deck and then shoveled 

 into the hold or onto the pile on deck. 



A yet heavier and stouter form of dredge (PL XV, fig. 2) is used 

 where dredging with power boats is allowed. It will be seen to 

 resemble the other patterns, except that it is largely made of heavy, 

 flat, iron bars, about 2 inches wide and nearly 1 inch tliick and firmly 

 braced. The lower part of the bag is of iron mesh instead of cotton. 

 Dredges of this sort measure from 5 to 7 feet in width and hold 12 

 to 15 bushels of oysters (one oyster company uses larger ones holding 

 nearly 30 bushels; these are emptied by mechanical means). These 

 dredges are raised and lowered by a heavy chain which passes through 

 a pulley on a stout post in the midline forward and then down to 

 the hoister in the hold. The bolster is turned by the engine of the 

 boat. Plate XIV, figure 2, shows the arrangement of rollers, pul- 

 leys, post, and dredges on a gasoline power dredging boat. In 

 Long Island Sound large steamers are often used for dredging on 

 leased beds. One company has two steamers each carrying three 

 dredges on a side, six in all, each with a capacity of nearly 30 bushels. 

 These two steamers are each about twice as large as an}^ other oyster 

 steamer in the world, having a capacitv of 8,000 bushels (PL XVIII, 

 fig. 2). 



1 



