﻿OYSTERS 
  AND 
  METHODS 
  OF 
  OYSTER-CULTURE. 
  301 
  

  

  SEED. 
  

  

  After 
  the 
  ground 
  lias 
  been 
  thoroughly 
  prepared 
  according 
  to 
  its 
  

   requirements, 
  the 
  next 
  consideration 
  is 
  the 
  actual 
  planting 
  of 
  the 
  

   oysters. 
  Planters 
  follow 
  one 
  of 
  two 
  methods, 
  as 
  their 
  interests 
  and 
  

   experience 
  may 
  dictate; 
  they 
  either 
  plant 
  seed 
  oysters 
  and 
  raise 
  them 
  

   to 
  an 
  adult 
  or 
  marketable 
  size, 
  or 
  they 
  use 
  cultch 
  to 
  catch 
  the 
  spat, 
  

   which 
  may 
  be 
  either 
  sold 
  as 
  seed 
  or 
  retained 
  until 
  it 
  has 
  grown. 
  The 
  

   former 
  method 
  is 
  perhaps 
  the 
  simi)ler 
  and 
  more 
  uniformly 
  successful 
  in 
  

   most 
  localities, 
  and 
  it 
  will 
  be, 
  therefore, 
  first 
  discussed. 
  

  

  Seed 
  oysters 
  are 
  young 
  or 
  immature 
  oysters 
  suitable 
  for 
  planting. 
  

   They 
  vary 
  in 
  size 
  from 
  minute 
  "blisters" 
  up 
  to 
  well-grown 
  oysters, 
  

   which 
  will 
  be 
  ready 
  for 
  market 
  in 
  six 
  months 
  after 
  they 
  have 
  been 
  

   bedded. 
  In 
  most 
  cases 
  they 
  run 
  in 
  size 
  between 
  1 
  and 
  1^ 
  inches, 
  or 
  

   from 
  about 
  the 
  size 
  of 
  a 
  silver 
  quarter 
  up 
  to 
  the 
  size 
  of 
  a 
  silver 
  dollar. 
  

  

  The 
  seed 
  is 
  obtained 
  either 
  from 
  planters 
  who 
  make 
  a 
  specialty 
  of 
  

   raising 
  it, 
  or 
  from 
  the 
  natural 
  reefs, 
  or 
  from 
  various 
  places 
  along 
  shore 
  

   where 
  there 
  may 
  be 
  an 
  abundant 
  set 
  of 
  sj^at. 
  In 
  certain 
  localities 
  

   gravel 
  beaches 
  often 
  show 
  a 
  strong 
  set 
  in 
  the 
  area 
  between 
  tides, 
  where 
  

   it 
  may 
  be 
  collected 
  at 
  low 
  water, 
  or 
  beyond 
  low- 
  water 
  mark, 
  where 
  it 
  

   may 
  be 
  dredged 
  or 
  tonged 
  from 
  boats. 
  In 
  some 
  parts 
  of 
  Long 
  Island 
  

   Sound 
  there 
  is 
  an 
  extensive 
  fishery 
  for 
  seed 
  oysters 
  in 
  localities 
  such 
  

   as 
  described. 
  

  

  Some 
  planters 
  collect 
  seed 
  for 
  themselves, 
  but 
  most 
  of 
  them 
  prefer 
  to 
  

   buy 
  from 
  those 
  who 
  make 
  a 
  specialty 
  of 
  that 
  branch 
  of 
  the 
  industry. 
  

   The 
  pfiice 
  varies 
  in 
  different 
  localities 
  and 
  with 
  the 
  character 
  and 
  size 
  of 
  

   seed, 
  from 
  10 
  cents 
  to 
  $1 
  per 
  bushel. 
  The 
  larger 
  growth 
  of 
  seed 
  brings 
  

   a 
  better 
  price 
  than 
  the 
  smaller, 
  as 
  it 
  takes 
  a 
  shorter 
  time 
  to 
  bring 
  it 
  to 
  

   maturity 
  and 
  it 
  is 
  less 
  susceptible 
  to 
  the 
  attacks 
  of 
  enemies. 
  The 
  care 
  

   with 
  which 
  the 
  seed 
  has 
  been 
  sorted 
  is 
  also 
  a 
  prime 
  factor 
  in 
  the 
  cost. 
  

   Seed, 
  just 
  as 
  it 
  comes 
  from 
  the 
  beds, 
  contains 
  much 
  besides 
  oysters; 
  

   sometimes 
  as 
  much 
  as 
  75 
  per 
  cent 
  consisting 
  of 
  old 
  shells, 
  sponge, 
  and 
  

   other 
  rubbish. 
  Though 
  such 
  material 
  may 
  be 
  obtained 
  at 
  a 
  low 
  price, 
  

   it 
  is 
  not 
  generally 
  regarded 
  as 
  economical, 
  as 
  a 
  larger 
  quantity 
  must 
  

   be 
  planted 
  than 
  when 
  good 
  seed 
  is 
  used, 
  the 
  bed 
  is 
  littered 
  with 
  unde- 
  

   sirable 
  rubbish 
  of 
  all 
  kinds, 
  and 
  is 
  liable 
  to 
  become 
  stocked 
  with 
  

   enemies 
  which 
  will 
  cause 
  trouble 
  in 
  the 
  future. 
  The 
  unculled 
  seed 
  is 
  

   liable 
  also 
  to 
  grow 
  into 
  rough 
  oysters, 
  crowded 
  into 
  bunches 
  and 
  of 
  

   undesirable 
  shapes, 
  Avhich 
  bring 
  a 
  smaller 
  price 
  when 
  put 
  upon 
  the 
  

   market. 
  

  

  When 
  culled 
  stock 
  is 
  selected 
  — 
  that 
  is, 
  seed 
  consisting 
  of 
  separate 
  

   individuals 
  of 
  good 
  shape 
  and 
  uniform 
  size 
  — 
  it 
  is 
  said 
  to 
  generally 
  give 
  

   satisfactory 
  results. 
  It 
  is 
  free 
  from 
  rubbish 
  and 
  enemies, 
  and, 
  being 
  

   vigorous, 
  it 
  is 
  able 
  to 
  at 
  once 
  avail 
  itself 
  of 
  such 
  advantages 
  as 
  the 
  

   beds 
  possess 
  and 
  its 
  growth 
  is 
  correspondingly 
  rapid. 
  The 
  oysters 
  

   being 
  separate 
  from 
  the 
  beginning, 
  when 
  they 
  reach 
  maturity 
  they 
  are 
  

   shapely 
  and 
  in 
  good 
  condition. 
  

  

  