The oyster industry . a large quantity of them to open a gallon of solid meat, a bushel not yielding more than two to twoand a half quarts. As a consequence, there has not been a very great demand for them, though all that can be gotnow are readily disposed of. Formerly the price was $1 a bushel in Newmarket, where they Avere chiefly bought;but in 1879, 80 cents was the price. No culture of these or of imported oysters has ever been tried here; and thechances are against success. Since gathering the details given above, I have received the subjoined letter, which explains itself, but mustI thi
The oyster industry . a large quantity of them to open a gallon of solid meat, a bushel not yielding more than two to twoand a half quarts. As a consequence, there has not been a very great demand for them, though all that can be gotnow are readily disposed of. Formerly the price was $1 a bushel in Newmarket, where they Avere chiefly bought;but in 1879, 80 cents was the price. No culture of these or of imported oysters has ever been tried here; and thechances are against success. Since gathering the details given above, I have received the subjoined letter, which explains itself, but mustI think, be slightly discounted in its figures: • ^ Newmarket, N. H., October 20, 1879. Dear Sir: Yours of tlio at baud. I will give you wli it information I can by writing, tbougb I slionld bave been liottcr pleasedto bave talked witb you ou tbe oyster-question. I could liave given you more iuformation in tbat way, probably; but ^ill answer yourqueries as you put o Monograph- 0 YSTEK-IJ^D USTR T. Plate XXX. CiiAST Oyster, 14 inciiks ;. i-uom Damariscotta River, Maine (natural size). 34 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. I. Oysters were first found iu Exeter river eight years ago by a government surveying vessel. Oysters were also known to be inDurham river and at Nannies island. I claim to have found the beds in Great bay four years ago. It is my opinion that there are oyster-roclis all the way down to Portsmouth, but the bottom is not suitable for dredging, which is the only way they could be taken after youleave Groat bay. II. For two years they were tonged and dredged steadily through the summer-months by an average of 20 persons a day. Some days70 to 80 men would be working. The average catch to a man that understood the business was 25 bushels. Wo could have caught moreby working more hours, but the supply was greater than the demand. We worked about six hours per day. III. The average catch uow to a man is 3 bushels. A cause of the decline is that the mark
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