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Show TROPICAL OYSTERS. GULP COAST BIVAXVES THAT ARE EATEN IN SUMMER, The Point Isabel Product Is In Season from tho Fltst of May Until the Tirst Day of September. Sep-tember. Tho fact Is not generally known, oven In Texas, thav the tropical oyster, which Is entirely different In appear-nnco appear-nnco and habits from tho oysters found in the miirkctH of this country, is successfully suc-cessfully raised along tho cxtrcnio southern gulf coast of this state, says nn Austin (Tex.) report. F. W. Sen-bury, Sen-bury, speaker of tho Texas houso of representatives, who has mado n study of oysters for sovcral years, Bays In regard re-gard to this tropical breed of oysters: "The oyster which Is grown In tho vicinity of Point Isabel and nlong tho gulf coast as far as n short dlstanco bo-low bo-low Corpus Christi Is a tropical bivalve and of wholly different species from tho oysters nlong other portions of tho Texas coast and Atlantic seaboard. Tho Point Isabel oyster Is eaten during tho summer season, commencing about tho 1st of Mny, tho season lasting till nbout tho 1st of September. This tropical oyster oy-ster begins to spawn In September, which is Just nt tho tlmo tho oysters north of hero becomo fit for eating. Tho Point Isabel oyster spawns In fall nnd winter, and tho northern oyster, even those at Corpus Christ! and Port Lavnca, spawn in summer. The Point Isabel oyster oy-ster can be eaten In any of the months not containing tho letter 'r.' The reverse re-verse is truo of tho other oysters, "Tho fact that tho Point Isabel oyster has a season entirely different from that of other oysters should make it In demand, nnd I look for a great Industry to bo built up In cultivating and shipping ship-ping theso bivalves. Tho Lagunn Madro, where tho Point Isnbel oyster Is grown, affords n splendid placo far oyster beds. Tho lagoon Is four or flvo miles wide, nni tho water is highly impregnated with salt, which insures the growth of good oysters. With direct railroad connection connec-tion with tho outside world there Is no reason why nn immense oyster shipping ship-ping business should not bo built up nt Point Isabel. "Of course the peoplo would have to be educated Into eating oysters during tho hot months of summer, but I bcllovo that could be easily done. I know of my own knowledge that these oysters form a most pnlatabie dish on tho hottest dnys of summer. I havo eaten them many times. In Brownsville these oysters nre tho principal food for many people nil summer long. Thero Is a flno opportunity opportun-ity awaiting some enterprising person to plant oyster beds In tho Laguna Madre, In the Point Isnbel region. It will bring a big fortune to whoever undertakes un-dertakes It. Theso tropical oysters aro far better than tho other Texas oysters. Thoy aro smaller thnn tho Corpus Christy Chris-ty Port Lavaca or Galveston oysters, n.d moro rcsemblo tho famous Bluo Points. Oyster roasts havo been a popular popu-lar form of cnotrtalnment for a long tlmo during tho summer months nt Point Isabel." Tho fish nnd oyster laws contain n provision exempting oysters from n certain cer-tain point below Corpus Christ! from tho operation of that provision which prohibits their shipment and sale during dur-ing the months which do not contain tho letter "r." This exemption wns placed on tho bill through tho effort of Mr. Scabury. Thero is, therefore, nothing in the way of tho Point Isabel oysters being shipped during tho summer months If a market can bo mado for them. |
