146 Our Food Mollusks 



become one of the great oyster shipping centers of the 

 country, for the oyster territory about the delta of the 

 Mississippi is extensive and possesses great natural ad- 

 vantages, and oyster culture has begun there in earnest, 

 and under most intelligent control. 



Before means of rapid transit existed, oysters were 

 steamed at a temperature far above the boiling point, in 

 order to kill the micro-organisms of putrefaction, and 

 then canned. Many packing houses, especially in the 

 South, still prepare oysters in this way. The virtue if 

 the word may be allowed in this case of this method 

 is simply that oysters so canned may stand on the shelves 

 of the country grocery store for several years without 

 becoming worse than when they were received. They do 

 not, however, commend themselves to any one who has 

 eaten raw or freshly cooked oysters. 



Attempts have been made to market oysters pickled in 

 spiced vinegar, but with little success. Oysters carefully 

 fried in crumbs have also been marketed in sealed tins, 

 but for some reason, little demand was created for them. 



