Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-04-24
The wicomico. oyster Beds.


Now that the oyster supply has become
q serious question, we are confident that
the letter ON the subject, elsewhere pub
lished in our columns to-day, will receive
the consideration the matter demands In
consequence of defective laws, no less than
from the utter worthlessness of those to
whom is conided their execution, the de-
crease in the yield is alarmingly noticea-
BILE throughout the entire Jurisdiction of
the State. So relentless has been the greed
of those engaged in the oyster enterprise,
and SO perfectly innocent of all intention
to dutifully enforce the law, do our oyster
officials appear, that in some localities,
hitherto prolific in the yield, the work of
destruction has ceased only on their de-
pletion. It is quite true, that until the
last year or two, the oyster beds located
within the limits of our county have been
comparatively free from the destructive
warfare waged upon those in other local.
tics, and, it is no less true, that prospects
for longer immunity, as to those within
county confines, are not encouraging. It is,
we are confident, no exaggeration to say
that at this time the capabilities of the
oyster beds lying within Charles county
surpass those of any other county in the
State. This very fact invites the attacks
of those who are occupied in taking oys-
tiers, either for the purposes of the city
markets or for the purposes of transplant
ing. The distinguishing feature, howev-
er, in the oyster business at this time is
oyster culture, five may use the expression.
This consists in taking them from their
natural beds, where they are too thick, and
where the nourishing elements are not pro-
pitious to the growth of large oysters, to
plant or seed them in coves, creeks or other
places specially adapted to their growth.
where, in short time they improve won
derfully in size and quality. Oysters suit
able for seeding have become scarce in the
lower Potomac and in the Chesapeake !;
hence ours, which are peculiarly adapted
to the purpose, are in great demand. The
Wicomico river, and particularly that por-
ton of it which is within the jurisdiction
of this county, is almost one continuous
bed Of these oysters, from its mouth to
Stoddert's bar; and we are by no means
certain that the Jurisdiction of Charles
does not extend to the south bank of the
Wicomico. Indeed, it is considered no
exaggeration to say that the quantity may
fairly be estimated at millions of bushels.
It is, then, not merely, as some may have
supposed, matter Of trifing significance,
but rather matter of serious magnitude,
which has so warmly enlisted the atten-
ton of our citizens and SO justly excited
their anxiety. Something surely should
be done to guard against and ward off the
threatening invasion of our oyster fields.
IF the present law is defective and impo-
tent of good, strike it, at the earliest op-
portunity, from the statute books and sup
ply its place with stronger might. If,
however, the responsibility of its lamenta-
BILE failure rests with the manner of its en-
forcement, forthwith let the official guillo-
tine be applied, and some substitute intro
duced for the present weak arrangement,
which multiplies, instead of. alternating,
the wrongs of the public. By all means,
let something be done, even if that some
thing involves the removal of Admiral, or
Commodore, or simple Mr.. Timmons, to
some other sphere of action, where his pay
will be less, because, perhaps, more COM
nensurate with the deserts of his labors.