354 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES _ 
~ 
Doane & Co. once had Shoalwater Bay oysters a short distance north 
of Point San Bruno, but they were lost during a ‘“northeaster,” and 
the locality was abandoned. The same firm kept both species of oysters 
in Oakland and Alameda creeks, but these localities were abandoned 
with the increase of traffic and on account of sewers. 
sefore the introduction of the eastern species, oyster-dealers in San 
Francisco maintained a trade in Willapa Bay oysters, which is con- 
tinued up to the present time. As these oysters are obtained readily 
from their natural beds, no attempt is made to propagate them here; 
they are simply freshened before they are marketed. The localities 
originally used for bedding oysters by Morgan & Co., Doane & Co., 
Swanberg & West, and other firms now consolidated aun the Morgan 
Oyster Company, viz, Sausalito, Point San Quentin, Sheep Island, and 
— Oakland and Alameda creeks, have all been abandoned in favor of 
localities south of San Francisco, where the nearest are from 10 to 15° 
miles removed from the influence of the Sacramento River, and where at 
they are almost free from deposits of sediment. There was always a 
large percentage of loss from oysters settling in the mud at the old 
localities. I examined all these old beds, but found no oysters on any ‘ 
of them. 
When oysters are removed from certain localities to others better 
suited to their fattening, the shells of the native oysters are knocked 
off them with a light, iene: bladed, adz-shaped instrument adapted to 
the purpose. 
In the frequent transplanting of oysters may be found another feature 
of their treatment tending to reduce propagation; many eastern oyster- 
men consider “plants” (transplanted oysters) infertile for a year or 
two. If there is truth in this the extent to which oysters are moved at 
San Francisco must certainly have its Influence, ee 
Seed oysters are brought to San Francisco in the fall by fast freight. 
Not more than 10 per cent loss is expected under ordinarily favorable 
circumstances. The mere freezing of the liquid about the oyster is not 
“-—~considered i injurious. In illustration of the length of time cold or frozen 
oysters may remain out of water without losing their vitality, Mr. 
Morgan told ne that from a number of carloads of oysters consigned 
to his company one car was lost through some mistake and turned up 
in St. Louis. When it finally arrived at San Francisco, after being two 
months on the way, and the frozen oysters were bedded, it was found 
that there was but little more loss than i in ‘shipments of ordinary dura- 
tion. arama 
A new company, the Chesapeake Oyster Company, a branch of the 
International Oyster Company of New York, has lately begun the ship- 
ment of fresh marketable oysters to San Francisco, and at present has 
a quantity of them deposited at Sausalito. ' 
peat 
| 
