Dec. 1, 1887.J 



369 



We should expect these principles to apply to the oyster. 

 Roughly speaking, the body of the animal may he regarded 

 as a collection of membraneous sacs. It seems entirely reas- 

 onable to suppose that the intercellular spaces, and probably 

 the cells of the body would be impregnated with the salts of 

 the sea water in which the animal lives, and this supposition 

 is confirmed by the large quantity of mineral salts which the 

 body is found by analysis to contain, and which amounts, in 

 some cases, to over 14 per cent, of tho water-free substance of 

 the body. 



It seems equally reasonable to assume tha t osmose would 

 take place through both the outer coating of the body and 

 the cell walls. 1 a the salt water the solution of salts within 

 the body may be assumed to be in equilibrium with the sur- 

 rounding medium. When the animal is brought into fresh 

 or brackish water, i. c, into a. more dilute solution, the salts 

 in the more concentrated solution within the body would 

 tend to pass in and produce just such a distension as actually 

 takes place in the floating. If this assumption is correct, 

 we should expect that the osmose would be the more rapid 

 the less the amount of salts in the surrounding water; that 

 it would proceed more rapidly in warm and more slowly in 

 cold water; that it would take place whether the body of the 

 animal is left in the shell or i« previously removed from it; 

 that the quantity of salts would be greatly reduced in float- 

 ing; and that if it were left in the water after the maximum 

 distension had been reached, the imbibed water would pass 

 out again and the oyster would be reduced to its original 

 size. Just such is actually the case. Oysternien find that, 

 the oysters "fatten" much more quickly in fresh than in 

 brackish water; warmth is so favorable to the process that 

 it is said to be sometimes found profitable to warm artificia 1 1 y 

 the water in which the oysters are floated; although oysters 

 are generally floated in the shell, tho same effect is very 

 commonly obtained by adding fresh water to the oysters 

 after they have beeu taken out of the shell, indeed, I am 

 told that this is a by no means unusual practice of retail 

 dealers; oysters lose much of their salty flavor in floating; 

 aud it is a common experience of oysternien that if the 

 "fattened" oysters are left too long on the floats they become 

 "lean" again. 



This exact agreement of theory and fact might seom to 

 warrant the conclusion that the actual changes in the so- 

 called fattening of oysters in floatiug are essentially gain of 

 water and loss of salts. The absolute proof, however, is to 

 be sought in chemical analysis. In the course of an investi-. 

 gation conducted lander the auspices of the United States 

 Fish Commission, and which included examinations of a 

 number of oysters and other shellfish, I have improved the 

 opportunity to test this matter by some analysis of oysters 

 before and after floating. The results of the investigation 

 are to be given in one of the publications of the Commission. 

 From this the following statements are selected as perhaps 

 not without interest to the Fisheries Association.* it is not 

 improper that I should add here, that a portion of the ex- 

 penses of the investigation was borne by one of the promi- 

 nent officers of the association, Mr. E. G. Blackford. 



The account just mentioned of the experiments is preceded 

 by some, citations regarding the practice of floating oysters 

 which I insert here, adding that 1 should be greatly obliged 

 for any further information upou the subject. 



The following very opposite statements! are by Prof. Per- 

 sifor Frazer, Jr., who attributes the changes mentioned to 

 dialy tic action. 



"The oysters brought to our large markets on the Atlantic 

 seaboard' are generally first, subjected to a process of May- 

 ing out,' which consists in placing them for a short time in 

 fresher water than that from which they have been taken. 



"Persons who are fond of this animal as an article of food, 

 know how much the 'fresh' exceed the 'salts' in size and con- 

 sistency. The 'Morris Coves' of this city (Philadelphia), 

 while very insipid, are the plumpest bivalves brought to 

 market. On the other hand, the 'Absecoms' and 'Brigan- 

 tines,' while of a better flavor (to those who prefer salt 

 oysters), are invariably lean, compared to their transi>lanted 

 rivals, as also are the 'Cape Mays,' though from some reason, 

 not to the same exteut. 



"The most experienced oyster dealers inform me that the 

 time for allowing the salt oysters taken from the sea-coast 

 to lie out, varies, but is seldom over two or three days. At 

 the end of this time the maximum plumpness is attained, 

 and beyond this the oyster becomes lean again, besides hav- 

 ing lost in flavor." 



The subjoined statements by Prof. J. A. Ryder are inter- 

 esting in this connection. They are taken from a letter to 

 Prof. Baird, U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries on 

 "Floats for the so-called fattening of oysters."! 



"The simplest and most practical structures of the kind 

 wdnch I have seen are the storage and fattening floats used 

 by Mr. Conger, of Franklin City, Md., and now in use by all 

 the shippers and planters in the vicinity of Chincoteague 

 Bay. I have been informed that similar structures, or 

 rather structures serving similar purposes, are in use on the 

 oyster beds along the shore of Staten Island, New York. 

 *"It is probably a fact that in all these contrivances they 

 take advantage of the effect produced by fresher water upon 

 oysters which have been taken from slightly salt water. 

 The planters of Chincoteague call this 'plumping the oysters 

 for market.' it does not mean that the oysters are aug- 

 mented in volume by the addition of substantial matter, 

 such as occurs during the actual appropriation of food, but 

 only that the. vascular spaces and vessels in the animals are 

 filled with a larger amount of water due to endosmose, It 

 is a dealer's trick to give his produce a better appearance in 

 the market, and as such I do not think deserves encourage- 

 ment, but rather exposure. 



"Mr. Conger has actually resorted to warming fresh water 

 to 00 F. in winter by steam pipes running underneath the 

 wooden inclosure surrounding the 'fattening' or 'plumping' 

 float. One good 'drink,' as he expressed himself to me, ren- 

 ders the animal fit for sale and of better appearance. 



"Conger's floats are simply a pair of windlasses, supported 

 by two pairs of piles driven into the bottom. Chains or 

 ropes which wind upon the windlasses pass down to a pair 

 of cross pieces, upon which the float rests, which has a per- 

 forated or strong slat bottom and a rim 18in. to 2ft. high. 

 These floats I should think are about Sft. wide and 16ft. long, 

 perhaps 20. These structures are usually built alongside the 

 wharves of the packing aud shipping houses, and are. really a 

 great, convenience in conducting the work. * * *" 



Elsewhere Prof. Ryder speaks of the floats thus: 



"The diaphragm itself was constructed on boards perfor- 

 ated with auger holes and lined on the inside with gunny- 

 cloth or sacking, and the space between the perforated 

 boards was filled'with sharp clean sand. The space between 

 the boards was about "in.: through this the tide ebbed and 

 flowed, giving a rise and fall of from 4 to Gin. during the 

 interval between successive tides." 



Mr. F. T. Lane, of New Haven, Conn., writes as follows 

 about the method of floating practiced by himself and, as I 

 understand, by other New Haven growers. 



"We do not always leave them two days in the floats — as 

 a rule only one day. We put them into brackish water and 

 take them out at low water or in the last of the falling tide, 

 as then the water is the freshest and the oysters are at their 

 best. As it is not convenient for us to put them into the 

 floats and take them out the same day we do not want the 

 water too fresh. On one occasion, wishing to know what 

 the result would be of putting the oysters into water that 



* A detailed account is also to appear in Volume XXIV. of the 

 "Zeitschrift fur Biologic." 



+Note on Dialysis in Oyster Culture in Proceedings of Philadel- 

 phia Academy of Sciences, 1875, p. 472. 



♦ Bulletin of the U. S. Fish Ooaimission, 1381, p. 302. 



was quite fresh, I had one of my floats taken up the river 

 half a mile further than where we commonly use them and 

 100 bushels of oysters put into it at high water and taken 

 out at low water. They were in the water from six to seven 

 hours and came out very nice, fully as good as those floated 

 twenty-four hours in the brackish water, [t was a warm 

 day and the water was warm. Under these conditions they 

 will driuk very quickly. I have seen them open their shells 

 in ten mimttes after they were put into the water." 



For the following valuable information I am indebted to 

 Mr. R. G. Pike, Chairman of the Board of Shclllisli Com- 

 missioners of Connecticut: 



"Connecticut oysters, when brought from their beds in the 

 salt waters of Long Island Sound, are seldom sent to market 

 before they have been subjected to more or less manipula- 

 tion. As soon as possible after being gathered, they are de- 

 posited in shallow tide rivers where the water is more or less 

 brackish; and are left there, from, one to four days; the time 

 varying according to the temperature of the season, the sal t- 

 ness of the oyster, and the freshening quality of the water. 

 Generally two tides are sufficient for the. two 'good drinks' 

 which the oysternien say they should always ha ve. 



"This 'floating,' as it is called, results in cleaning out and 

 freshening the oysters, and increasing their bulk: or, as 

 many oysternien confidently assert, 'fattening' them. If the 

 weather is warm, they will take a 'drink' immediately if not 

 disturbed; but if the weather is cold they will wait some- 

 times ten or twelve hours before opening "their valves. Good 

 fat oysters generally yield Ave quarts of solid meat to the 

 bushel; but after floating two tides or more they will meas- 

 ure six quarts to the bushel. After they have Been properly 

 floated they are taken from the shell— and as soon as the 

 liquor is all strained off, they arc washed in cold water— and 

 are then packed for market. In warm weather they are put 

 into the water with ice, aud are also packed with ice for 

 shipping. Water increases their bulk by absorption and by 

 mixing with the liquor on the surface of the oysters. The 

 Salter the oyster the more water it absorbs. In twel ve hours 

 one gallon of oysters, with their juices strained out, will 

 take in a. pint of water; but when very salt and dry they 

 have been known to absorb a pint in three hours. 



"Water always thickens the natural juices that adhere to 

 the surface of the oyster, and makes them slimy. If too 

 much water is added the oyster loses its plumpness and 

 firmness and becomes watery and flabby. 



"Oysters that have been floated bear transportation in the 

 shell much better than when shipped directly from their 

 beds. Oysters, too, that are taken from their shells and 

 packed in all their native juices spoil much sooner than 

 when their juices are strained out and the meats are washed 

 in fresh cold water. 



"Long clams are not floated — but round clams are. But 

 both, when shucked, are waslied in fresh water. This 

 cleanses them of mud, sand and excess of salt, increases 

 their bulk and improves their flavor. After washing they 

 will keep much longer without risk of spoiling. If the salt 

 is left in them, as they come from their native beds, their 

 liquor will ferment and they will quickly spoil. 



"The above facts are gathered from the most intelligent 

 men in the shellfish business in Connecticut, men who have 

 had many years experience in gathering oysters and clama 

 and preparing them for home and foreign consumption. 

 They are all agreed that bj r judicious floating in the sholl, 

 and'by washing and soaking when out of the .shell, the oys- 

 ter and the clam, increase in bulk and improve in quality 

 and flavor. We will not presume to say that, this increased 

 bulk is anything more than a mechanical distension of the. 

 organs and the cellular tissues of the oyster by waiter; or 

 that its improved flavor is not due simply to a loss of bitter 

 sea salt dissolved out by the water. Many intelligent culti- 

 vators are confident that the increase in bulk is a gro wth of 

 fat; while just as many, of equal intelligence, declare, that at 

 is mere 'bloat' or distension, akin to that of a dry sponge 

 when plunged into the water. The exact nature of the 

 change the chemist alone can determine." 



[TO BE CONTINUED.] 



LOBSTERS IN CANADA. — The Commissioners appointed 

 by the Dominion Government in May last to investigate into 

 and report on the condition of the lobster fisheries in the 

 Maritime Provinces have made a report to the Fisheries De- 

 partment at Ottawa. They recommend that all lobster fish- 

 ing in the gulf be shut down for three years, oxeept for six 

 weeks next season, to enable packers to use off.' all their sur- 

 plus stock of cans. 



DELAWARE.— Although Delaware is in a level country, 

 several streams in Kent county have been stocked with 

 brook trout.— Del. A. Ware. 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Dec. to 8.— Third Annual Dog Show of the Central Berkshire 

 Poultry, Pigeon and Pet Stock Association. W. T. Webster, Sec- 

 retary, Lee, Mass. 



Dec. 6 to 10.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Northern Illinois 

 Poultry and Pet Stock Association, at Rockford, 111. W. .T. 

 Harnlev, Superintendent. 



Dec. 14 to 16.— Tliird Annual Dog Show of the Wlnstcd Kennel 

 Club. Prank D. Hallett, Superintendent, Winstcd, Conn. Entries 

 close Dec. 3. 



Jan. 10, 11, 12 and 13, 1888.— Bench Show of the Ohio Poultrv.Pigeon, 

 Kennel and Pet Stock Association, Columbus, O. H. 6. Bridge, 

 Secretary, Columbus, O. 



Jan. 23 to 27, 1888.— First Dog Show of the Agnsta Pet Stock and 

 Poultry Association, at Agusta, Ga. 



Feb. 81 to 24, 1888.— Twelfth Annual Show of the Westminster Ken- 

 nel Club, Madison Square Garden, New York James Mortimer, 

 Superintendent. 



April 3 to C— Fourth Annual Dog Show of the New England 

 Kennel Club, at Boston, Mass. J. W. Newman, Secretary. 

 FIELD TRIALS. 



Dec. 12.— First Annual Field Trials of the American Field 

 Trials Club, at Florence, Ala. C. W. Paris, Secretary, Cincinnati, 



Jan. 10, 1888.— Second Annual Field Trials of the Texas Field 

 Trials Club, at Marshall, Tex. W.L.Thomas, Secretary, Mar- 

 shall, Tex. 



Jan. 16.— Fifth Annual Field Trials of the Pacific Coast Field 

 Trial Club, near Kingsburgh, Cal. N. P. Sheldeu. Secretary, 320 

 Sansome. street, San Francisco, Cal. 



A. K. R.-SPECIAL NOTICE. 

 rySE AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER, for the registration 

 of pedigrees, etc. (with prize lists of all shows and trials), is 

 published every month. Entries clo*e on the 1st. Should be in 

 early. Entry blanks sent on receipt of stamped and addressed 

 envelope. Registration fee (50 cents) must accompany each entry. 

 No entries inserted unless paid in advance. Yearly subscription 

 $1.50. Address "American Kennel Register," P. O. Box 2832, New 

 York. Number of entries already printed 6582. 



HEATHER BELL.— New York, Nov. 17.— Editor Forest 

 and Stream: We are requested by Mr. A. R. Kyle, of South 

 Norwalk, to inform you that his collie bitch Heather Bell 

 won a cup at the late show at Barns Elms, which is the first 

 trophy won in England by a collie from America,— Spratts 

 ! Patent (America) Limited. 



W;e eastern fielo Trials. 



THE DKHKY. 



THE seveiitk annual Derby vfi the Eastern Field Trials 

 Club besau at High Porai, N. (.'., on Wednesday of last 

 meat, .There were nmety-4wo nominations, thirty-five of 

 which. nam. This is six raore than last year, and if the in- 

 crease coEttinues i'. will be found necessary to limit the num- 

 ber of .starters, or the stake will become so unwieldy that it 

 mill be impossible to run it satisfactorily. In fact there 

 were too many starters this year for convenience, and if 

 •woiae .means can be devised whereby a less number shall run, 

 wehawe uo doubt that it will prove more satisfactory to all. 

 The jwdges were Messrs. D. C. Bergundthal. nf Indianapo- 

 lis. Ind.; G. Pred Crawford, of Paw tucket, R. t, and W. A. 

 Coster, the secretary of the club. So far as we could learn 

 tfheir decisions, except the selection of Waterford for third 

 jilace were well received by all. As retrieving is not re- 

 .qi'iyed the handlers were instructed to shoot but not to kill. 

 A list of the starters was published last week. We have not 

 , given full details of the work in many of the heats, not 

 i deeming it necessary, as a description of the dogs and their 

 • -.'.(.mparative merits is all that the reader will require. In 

 f .•.some of the more important heats, however, a full descrip- 

 (tfcion is given. ^ 



JOEY E. AND PEARL MANDAN. 

 The weather on Monday was clear and cold, the ground 

 ' bemg frozen quite hard, there was a light breeze from the 

 uorthwest, and the prospect was favorable for a good day's 

 sport. Leaving the hotel at 8:15 we drove to the Glass 

 House, and at 8:33 the first brace in the Derby were put 

 down. Joey B., handled by A vent, is a nicely-made little 

 dog a stylish ana. rapid mover, running light and easy with 

 his head well up. He is full of dash and goes boldlv to his 

 birds. He was a trifle nervous and unsteady at times, but 

 on the whole hn acquitted himself very well. In speed and 

 range he had the best of it, and was" the equal of his com- 

 petitor in style. In finding and pointing he had decidedly 

 S l A a 5j antag ' e ! and wou well. Pearl Maodan. handled by 

 Dick Morgan, Js a very handsome blue*be!'ton bitch of med- 

 ium size, an. easy and stylish mover, with a fair amount of 

 speed. She is not so quick in her motions as Joey, and had 

 not much chance to point. She appeared to be steady to 

 wing and gun, having the .advantage in this respect. Thev 

 were down. 46m . During the heat Pearl poi uted a woodcock, 

 Joey also pointing the same bird a second later. The bird 

 was finished and worked down a short distance away. Col. 

 Leach borrowed a gun, and making a present of the bird to 

 a friend flushed it awd blazed away, but stirred never a 

 feather. This disgusted him. and he refused to have any- 

 thing more to do with it. Just then the heat closed, and 

 Averrc very generously offered to get the bird for him^ and 

 wallnng it up cut loose, but the bird kept calmly on its 

 cooj-se, amid the cheers of an admiring crowd. 



NOBLE DIDO AND J. 0. DONNER-. 

 This brace was nearly evenly matched in sl&wifess— speed, 

 we had nearly written, but slowness is the better word. 

 .Both lacked experience, and after a m odea-ate heat of 40m. 

 they were ordered up, Donner winning with three points to 

 his credit to Noble's none. The latter backed nicely and 

 both were fairly steady to wing and gun. There was not 

 much to choose between them in speed, range and style. 

 Noble was handled by Tucker and Donner by Seager. 



DASHING JOE AND EOXCHASE. 



This brace was cast off a few minutes past 10 o'clock. In 

 speed r.nd range Joe had a trifle the best of it. both going 

 fairly well. They were not very fast or wide rangers, but 

 hunted their ground very well, and with more experience 

 will make killing dogs. In style they were different, but 

 vevy nearly equal in merit. Joe moves a bit heavy and car- 

 ries his head a trifle low. Foxchase moves easy and carries 

 his head well up. Both showed up well when on game, 

 pointing and backing in good style, except that Foxchase 

 refused to back the last point, went ahead and stole the 

 point. Joe also had the best of it in points and in roading 

 out a running bevy. Each flushed a bird that should have 

 been pointed, and Joe at one time was a trifle over-cautious 

 and inclined to potter, but upon the whole he had the best 

 of it, and at the end of 50m. was declared the winner. Joe 

 was handled by Tucker aud Foxchase by Buckel. We 

 were surprised to note during this heat that Mr. Coster 

 showed up "bird shy.'' A quail flushed under his feet and 

 he most, decidedly flinched, 



CLAUDE AND COUNTESS POPPET. 



This brace was put down a few minutes past 11 o'clock.. 

 Claude, handled by Avent, is a very stylish moviug dog and 

 has quite a turn of speed, going with his head well up and 

 rangi ng wide, he also shows up very well when on game, 

 having the best of it in these respects. Countess also moves 

 nicely and has considerable speed. She was handled by 

 Tucker. She showed yvell on game and did her work very 

 well. Both pointed and backed in good styleand were fairly 

 steady to wing and gun. Countess had one or two points the 

 most to her credit and the flushes were about equal, except 

 one by Claude that the judges did not see. Thev ran a capi- 

 tal heat with the balance a little in favor of Claude, and after 

 lh. and 40m. he was declared the winner. 



CINCINNATITS AND GO-BANG. 



This was a lively brace, both being fairly fast and easy 

 movers, with not much to choose between them in these re- 

 spects. Cincinnatus ranged the widest and Go-Bang had the 

 best of it in style. He. is a fine slashing going dog and puts 

 on lots of style when on game. He roaded out a Bevy nicely 

 but going down wind he got too close and they flushed. He 

 also made a gamy point, the only one made in the heat. 

 Cincinnatus backed nicely, Bang having no opportunity. 

 Bang was roading a bevy in good style when Cincinnatus 

 ended the heat by running into and flushing them. Bang was 

 steady to wing and gun, while, his competitor was a bit un- 

 steady. The heat was a short one of 20m., and was won by 

 Go-Bang. Cincinnatus was handled bv Tucker and Bang by 

 Buckel, » 



DAVE R. AND COUNT NOBLE, JR. 



This brace was put down on a knoll covered with sedge 

 at 1:24. Dave is a son of Gath's Hope and the well-known 

 Daisy F., and they may well be proud of him. He is a 

 nicely-made dog of medium size, an easy mover, and has 

 lots of speed, range and style, being far ahead of his com- 

 petitor in these respects. He goes boldly to his birds and 

 points them in good style, and in a positive manner. He 

 appears to be under good control, is steady to wing and gun, 

 and shows considerable huuting sense. Count is also a 

 nicely-made dog, with quite a turn of speed; he is fairly 

 good in style when on game. He is not so well trained as 

 Dave, and was somewhat unsteady to mug once or twice. 

 Both hacked nicely. Dave got all the points, three in num- 

 ber, one of them an exceptionally fine one, whirling quite 

 round while going down wind at speed and nailing a single 

 a long distance away. The dogs were taken up for lunch 

 after being down 15m., and put down at 12:18, and taken up 

 23m. later, Dave winning the heat with considerable to spare. 

 No flushes were made during the heat, Dave ran up a wood- 

 cock but this did not count. Dave was handled by Rose and 

 Count by Whaite. 



MERKY GIRL AND GUYMARD. 



This was not a remarkably good brace. Girl moves fairly 

 well and had the best of it in spead, range and style. Guy- 

 mard moves heavily and carries his head a trifle too low 

 Neither are fast, and both showed lack of experience, being 

 unsteady at times. Both pointed and backed, Girl having 

 the best of it in these respects, making four or five points to 



