The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-07-20
The Oysters.

The Oyster kuuduUs " sxcatioR soucis""e ~'.'o1s
the oficiais Of France ~ we'll a. u virginia
Though such sabiect may Be sueered At by some
of our own Legislators - beneath tie dignity OF
shs State, Il 10 not 20 regarded among the leading
statesmen and men Of science 10 france. "Galig-
panrs Messenger" publishes from the "Mopi'
ssur,. the organ of the French Government,
very interest ng report to the Emperor ny NJ
Cosse on the subject OF replenshipg the oyster beds
of France, and on the means TO DO employed for
that purpose II appears that the same work OF
destruction which impairing the value Of the Vr-
gnia oyster BEDS aud to which the Governor Of the
State. energeticaly seconded By Mr.. Paxton OF the
II. a Delegates. has % smphaticaiiy called puSlc
attention, has already damaged the oyster beds OF
France to an extent requiring the interference OF
the Government, 30 that It will become absolutely
necessary to plant new beds at State expense.
NJ. Cosse states that at Rochelle, Marrennes,
Rocheport and the Isles of Re and 0lerop, out OF
twenty-three banks, which, only short time
since. formed one of the Of wealth ct that
portion OF the French cnast. there are Is complete
II destroyed while those which still furnish GER
tain suppiy sre seriously endangered by the ncres
sipg Invasion Of muscles. The bay Of st. Brieuc,
he adds 10 admirably suited for the reproduction
Of the oyster, and which formerly had fifteen beds
in full activity has now only three, 30 that with
swenty boats every oyster might be removed,
whilst when the bay was IN full prosperity more
than 200 boats and ], 400 men were occupied
every year from the LIST October to the LIST Apri.'
and furnished return Of from 800, DOOR. TO 400
0O0fr In the roadstead OF Brest, and at the
mouths Of the rivers Of Brittany. the decay has
been less rapid, because they have not hitherto
been 30 actively worked, but 10 proportion ~ the
decrease In the other beds on the coast compes
tho fishermen TO come to them for ssupply, they
will soon fallip the same ruin.
A remedy for this state of things, Of easy appli-
cation aud certain success, ''consists," says NJ
Coste sin undertaking at the expense Of the State.
by the care of the maritime authorities and by
government vessels, to repeople the oyster beds
on the coast, which are in q state Of decay;
to extend thoae which are still prosperous and to
form new ones wherever the nature Of the bottom
will allow. When by this generous initiative these
productive fields shall have acquired sufficient de-
veiopmsnt, they must be subjected to . proper
system, leaving some to remain nndisturbed, while
others are worked-a system which preserved the
beds In the bays of Cancale and Of Granville from
tia destruction which . want Of 1t has caused In
other parts Of the coast. have the honor to pro-
pose to your Msjesty that the bay of ST. Brieuc
shall be made the of this undertaking, as the
In less than six months an estimate might be
formed Of Its probable results"
The report then goes into particulars On the
pre- cautions necessary to be adopted on the reno
val Of the oysters the preservation of the millions
Of embryos which every oyster gives out, and the
proper means to prevent the abusive working of
the beds. The people of Virginia should be adj
monished by the experience Of the French oyster
beds to preserve and cherish that rich "domain of
the sea-" which N. Coste justly .romarks, "may be
put under cultivation as we'll as the land" Gov.
Wise entitled himself by the interest he manifested
and the facts he elected upon this subject to the
gratitude of the State and his views upon the sub
jsct we're ofa practical common sense, statesman
like character, that ought to have commanded the
appreciation of a legislature, which, however was
more capable Of destroying than OF preserving any
Of the resources of the State. =.=f