OYSTERS: A LEADING FISHERY PRODUCT 
217 
Photograph from Dr. Hugh M. Smith 
VERY YOUNG OYSTERS (“SPAT”) ATTACHED TO THE INSIDE OF AN OYSTER 
SHELL WHICH HAS BEEN “PLANTED” FOR THIS PURPOSE 
The planting of suitable material, such as old shells, gravel, etc., to which young oysters may attach 
themselves after the free-swimming stage, is an exceedingly important branch of the oyster industry, for 
any of the young falling on mud or sand are lost. 
Further damage is done to oysters by 
the encroachments of mussels, barnacles, 
sponges, etc., which sometimes occur so 
densely on the shells as to cut off food 
and oxygen and thus greatly retard the 
growth of the oysters. 
OYSTERS ARE CHEAPEST AND MOST 
POPULAR IN THE UNITED STATES 
In any consideration of the world’s 
oyster industry the United States neces¬ 
sarily receives first and most prominent 
mention, for there is no country in which 
oysters occupy a more important place. 
The output here is larger and more valu¬ 
able than elsewhere, and the relative im¬ 
portance of oysters compared with the 
total fishery product is greater. Further¬ 
more, among the leading oyster-produc¬ 
ing countries the cost of oysters to the 
consumer is least and the per capita con¬ 
sumption is greatest in the United States. 
Additional evidence of the conspicuous 
position held by the oyster is seen in the 
facts (i) that it is taken in every coastal 
State except one; (2) that in 15 States 
it is the chief fishery product, and (3) 
that it is the most extensively cultivated 
of our aquatic animals. 
The annual oyster output at this time 
is about seventeen million bushels, with a 
value to the producers of nearly ^13,000,- 
000. The yield increased 70 per cent in 
quantity between 1880 and 1912. During 
the past decade there has been a slow 
decrease in the size of; the crop. The 
limit of production has perhaps been 
practically reached in certain States, but 
in most States the industry is capable of 
great expansion. In recent years the 
South Atlantic and Gulf States have 
experienced a noteworthy augmentation 
of yield as a result of increased apprecia¬ 
tion of the oyster resources and increased 
encouragement given to oyster culture. 
The seven leading oyster States at 
this time are Rhode Island, New York, 
New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Mis¬ 
sissippi and Louisiana in each of which 
the production ranges from a million 
bushels upwards. Maryland is the rank¬ 
ing State as regards production with 
four and one-half million bushels, followed 
by Virginia with three and one-fourth 
million bushels and New Jersey with 
one and one-half million bushels. As 
regards value of oysters taken Mary¬ 
land leads with $2,291,120 followed 
closely by Virginia with $2,167,923 and 
New Jersey with $2,070,496. A bushel 
