New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-09

exhausted by the very course We heto ieOA-
lessly pursuing At the time Of that pubhca-
ton only two on three States of the Union had
Fish Commissions to look after this great in
dustry; and the present United States Commits
sion did not exist Now there are commissions
in twenty or more States, and the Fish Com
mission at Washington has grown TO be one Of
the busiest and most important Of the Gov
ernmentsburcaus. Only two fsh farms In tins
State and one in New-Jersey were then in active
existence; now therearc forty such farms on Long
Island alone for the cultivation Of trout for
this market.
The same writer In the last number Of lip
pincoHs 8aga-ine, directs attention TO the
fact that the oyster beds of this country are
rapidly being destroyed, and urges immo-
date legislation and action with a view to
their rescue. Some Of the facts in evidence
of the probable extinction of the native Amer
lean oyster within generation are as curious
rs they .ccm conclusive. Ina Great Britain
and France the extinction of what had been
thought absolutely incXhaustiblr natural beds
of oysters followed close upon the construction
Of railways; the rapid means Of trans
portation greatly augmented the demand, and
this led at once 90 the overwhelming Oi-the
beds. Those Of Franco were exhausted in
about twenty-five years those of England in
something less than twenty years. France,
through a Commission of men Of science and
the command of unlimited means supplied by
the Government, restored her beds in ten
years England gave 30 Government aid but
large private companies boy taking advantage
of. the information and processes devised by
the French Commission, have increased the
supply nearly TO the present demand, drawing
on America for what il lacking. Our natural
beds az the North have long been exhausted :;
they are now merely iattcuing beds into which
the Virginia oyster is planted to prepare ii for
the large markets Our sole dependence Is now
Oh the Virginia beds; and figures are given
to show that these are being rapidly depleted
The area of Virginia waters in which the oyster
was found was estimated 10y Governor Wise IN
1850 at $4,000 acres; ten years afterward
the Norfolk Merchants Exchange report placed
il nj only 10000 acre.. II is expected that
the forthcoming census reports viii give us
later and moro Trustworthy statistics. But the
destruction Of the beds is hardly q fact to be
questioned. We are without doubt foolishly
going ahead In the reckless way that France
and Great Britain did to their great cost, and
are culpably running the finest natural oyster
in the world. IF some steps are not soon taken
we shall destroy a great industry, aud IN the
end we shall Doe compelled 70 content ourselves
with an inferior oyster tnnsplanted from for
cigu beds.
The process by which France has restored
| her beds is a simple one. 10 * based upon the
principle of securing the fall Of the floating
"spat7 or eggs in proper places instead OF
/ leaving 10 90 the mercy of tides to Ice thrown
ON mud bank. where 10 WI not grow, or ear
/ ricd far out 20 sea where it is lost. The cm-
/ hryo oyster Is chen protected from it- natural
| enemies of the scl and It's unnatural ones. the
dr.drcr, Who oycrish ont Of season. Il is sne-
er,trd that Congress should authorize invc,tlca-
/ tion of the French system. This may not Toe
necessary. siurcihr French processes and results
are well known. The subject, however, deserves
prompt and careful action, and has already
| a. .oruc extent engaged the attention of Pro-
| ic-,or Baird. the able head of the United states
I Fish Commissions who seems fully alive 20 the
present condition OF our i-hcrc., and Aat been
r.marhably -uccc. rd thu, far 30 bis efforts TO
! restore them.