FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 1 73 



is a measure of economy, the cost of dockage being one dollar and ninety cents 

 per day; and it is then said that the oyster merchants are discriminated against, 

 as canal boats, occupying greater space, are docked for twenty-five cents per day. 

 Canal boats are transient customers at the docks, while the oyster boats are 

 permanently located. 



These oyster houses rise and fall with the tides, and are therefore always upon 

 the level of the boats comprising the oyster-carrying fleet, and thus are favorably 

 situated to have the cargoes transferred. There are nineteen of these floats at 

 West Washington Market and seven at Fulton Market. 



TI)e Ouster Fleet. 



Subsidiary to the large market floats are perhaps 500 boats engaged in the 

 trade of carrying oysters from the oyster beds to the market. This fleet com- 

 prises boats of almost every description, including steamers, naphtha-power boats, 

 schooners and sloops, and they carry loads varying from 300 to 5,000 bushels 

 each. Five hundred bushels is probably a fair average cargo for a sailing vessel. 

 In addition to the boats, there are from fifty to sixty wagons regularly employed 

 in taking oysters to market from the Rockaway beds. These wagons are built 

 upon the lines of the Long Island market gardener's wagon, and carry a load of 

 21.000 oysters, put up in bags, containing about 400 oysters to the bag. 



Oysters in the shell are shipped to the retailers in barrels and bags, and the 

 opened ("shucked") oysters in half barrels and tubs. 



There are about 250 oysters, in the shell to the bushel; these, when opened, 

 give about one gallon of solid meat. A half barrel holds eighteen gallons, there 

 being twelve gallons of solid oysters. The tubs contain nine gallons, with six 

 gallons of meat. 



Aofor I^oafs. 



A great saving in time and money in the handling of oyster stock is being 

 wrought by the employment of power boats in the business. Indeed, the trade is 

 being revolutionized by the rapid advancement in this respect, as many more 

 trips can be made and much larger burdens carried than with the old-time oyster 

 craft. This, with modern processes of refrigeration in transit, is doing wonders 

 for the business. 



Shipments of oysters to European ports began on October twenty-second, and 

 have now amounted (in less than two months) to 6,925 barrels. During the fall 

 shipments amounting to five carloads daily have been made to California. Oysters 

 now go everywhere, and can be delivered in good condition at remote points. 



