128 ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



has labored incessantly and intelligently will have his reward and the public 

 a food fit for sovereign Americans. 



That portion of the stock which is to be sold in the shell is visually 

 assorted into two sizes called " box " and " culls." The oysters in the shell 

 are shipped in barrels and bags, while the opened or " shucked " oysters 

 are packed in tubs and half barrels. 



There are about two hundred and fifty oysters in the shell to the bushel, 

 giving when opened about one gallon of solid meat. The tubs hold nine 

 gallons with six gallons of meat, the half barrels contain eighteen gallons 

 with twelve gallons of solid meat. 



Most of the oysters produced in this State find a market in New York 

 city, which is a distributing point for the United States and Europe. Within 

 the past year Fulton market, on the East river side of New York, has ceased 

 to be an oyster market of importance. This is owing to the remodeling of 

 that market and to the lack of room for the oyster barges at the docks. The 

 result is that the business at the West Washington oyster market has been 

 considerably increased. This market is situated at the foot of Bloomfield 

 and Gansevoort streets, two blocks south of West Fourteenth street, and 

 fronts on the Hudson (or North) river. On the river side of the market 

 there is an enclosed basin where boats may be secure while unloading their 

 cargoes of shellfish. The unique and commodious house-boats which are 

 moored to the docks are picturesque objects, quite familiar to residents of 

 the city. These barges are really two-story houses, built upon scows or 

 floats with extensive expanses of floors or decks upon which large quanti- 

 ties of stock may be stored, assorted, opened, packed, shipped, etc. The 

 ends of these houses fronting the street may properly, perhaps, be called 

 the bows, and are constructed with more or less attention to architectural 

 effect, so that the facades are not unattractive. Upon the top, or cornice, 

 of each boat, usually extending across the entire front of the structure, is 

 a sign by which may be known what firm or company is doing business 

 within. From just behind the sign, upon each barge, rises a tall flagstaff, 

 upon which on suitable occasions the flag is displayed. Therefore these sin- 

 gular craft have each at least one set of halliards which may be used for a 

 proper purpose. These boats are fixed with more or less permanency in 

 their berths and have every appearance of busy establishments of trade. 



