NATIONAL FISHERY CONGRESS. 299 



hinge and diminishing in breadth, until they narrow down to what is commonly, but 

 erroneously, called the mouth, forming somewhat of a wedgelike contour, to a more 

 rotund or parabolic shape as they grow larger. The rapidity of growth of the Lou 

 isiana product is marvelous. In the North Atlantic States it takes nearly three 

 years, as we understand, for the fish to mature from the seed, so as to be marketable. 

 In the Louisiana waters it takes hardly more than one-third of that length of time. 



When sufficiently matured, say to an average length between 4 and 6 inches, the 

 time of fattening and growth depending to a great extent on the size when trans 

 planted and the richness and abundance of the food in the locality, the crop is ready 

 for marketing. During the fattening process, however, the plants are subject to a 

 variety of diseases, although not so numerous or so fatal as those in the colder waters 

 of the North Atlantic, nor are they exempt from other destructive agencies. Schools 

 of drumfish and sheepshead prey upon the beds, crushing the shells easily and devou -. 

 ing at times in a single night hundreds of barrels of oysters. Crabs also devour the 

 young oyster, while a number of crustaceous borers and starfish find their way through 

 the shells and kill the young brood. To guard against these depredations, although 

 ineffectually in most cases, pens formed of stakes driven in the bottom of the stream 

 are erected around the plants. 



The planting we have alluded to consists in strewing the natural young oysters 

 in thin layers over a hard bottom, which has previously been selected and located, or at 

 times artificially created by deposits of old shells. Ingathering or "tonging" the 

 oysters from the natural beds, 20 barrels per day is considered a good day's work per 

 hand. This, however, is rarely reached, owing to the unreliability and inferiority of 

 the labor. The "Tackoes" are not by disposition an industrious people, and, like all 

 the people dwelling near the shores of the Mediterranean and Adriatic, they are 

 inclined to the dolcefar niente, and are peculiarly sensitive, from their former habitats, 

 to the effects of the cold northers of the Gulf. Moreover, they are timid sailors and 

 dread the sudden storms of our southern waters. They are careless and heedless of 

 waste, and it i a common practice, although contrary to law, to "cull" the natural 

 oysters, and for that matter the plants as well, on shore or while under sail from the 

 beds. The fatal effects of this practice will be readily perceived when we state that 

 it consists of scraping and knocking off the myriads of embryos of young oysters 

 which adhere to the older ones, and which should be dropped back into the water 

 upon the beds, to be thus preserved and matured, but instead are dropped on land 

 or in the water away from the beds and there left to die. This is but one example 

 of the ordinary run of the "Tacko" oyster fishermen. Nor is this confined to the 

 people of this nationality alone. It may be said to be general among nearly all the 

 fishermen. 



The report of the United States Fish Commission of 1880 says : 



The shipment of oysters from New Orleans has hitherto been very small, and principally of fresh 

 oysters. * * Work is irregular because of the difficulty of getting oysters iu sufficient quantity 



/ and when needed, owing mainly to the indisposition of the oystermeu to work in bad weather. 



There are no statistics at hand by which the total of the gathered crops can even 

 be approximately estimated. Prices vary considerably, according to the weather and 

 the season. Small, natural, implanted oysters, commonly called "coons," suitable for 

 planting, can ordinarily be purchased at from 25 to 60 cents per barrel, delivered free 

 on board at the beds. Fully matured plants vary in price at the plant beds from $1 





