Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1874 — Educated Oysters. [ARTICLE]

Educated Oysters.

Before the railroad davs our oystergrowers used early in the'fall to canvass the villages on the Hudson River for orders, to be filled just before the river should be closed with ice. The meaning of this is that these men committed themselves to supply oysters in the shell, with the guarantee that the bivalves thus supplied should not die before their time came. The oysters -were actually kept alive, during the greater part of the long winter. The fat bivalves were handled with some care, and were spread on the cellar floor, the round or lower side down so as not to allow the liquor to escape. That such a life required a great change of capacity or habit in the bivalve is evident; and it needed a training-, yes, an education, ere the oyster at tained such ability. And this was the way it was done: Beginning early in the fall the cultivator took up the fat bivalves from their bed where he had planted them and laid them a little higher up on the shore, so that for a short time each day they were exposed out of the water. After a few days of this exposure by the retreating tide they were moved a little higher still on the shore line, which gave them a little longer exposure to the air at each low tide. And this process was continued, each move resulting in a longer exposur#.’ And with what results? Two very curious ones—inurement to exposure, and the inculation of a provident habit of making preparation for the same. What! providence in an oyster? Yes, when he’s educated. jjVhen accustomed to this treatment, ere the tide retires the oyster takes a good full drink and retains the same until the tide returns. Once, while waiting for the stage at a country hostlery, we overheard the following between two rustic practitioners at the bar: “Come, Swill, let’s take a drink!” ■ “ Well, I don’t know. Ain’t dry myself. Hows’ever, guess I will take a drink for fear I might get dry.” With better philosophy on their siae, these educated oysters twice in every twenty-four hours took their precautionary drink. The French method of oyster-training is much more laborious. The adult bivalves are carefully spread out in the water and periodical lessons are given to each one individually. Each oyster on this occasion receives a tap, not with a ferule, but with a small iron instrument. This causes the bivalve to close tightly. Finally the last day comes with its last premonitory tap. Its education thus finished it takes passage with its fellowgraduates for Paris. As a result of its education it knows how to keep its mouth shut when it enters society!— Professor Lockwood , in Popular Science Monthly.