Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-04
DESTROYING THE OYSTER BEDS.
"CuIling'' Oysters on the Banks-An
Important Matter for the Considera-
tiOn of Oystermen

"Culling'' Oysters on the Banks-An
Important Matter for the Considera-
tiOn of Oystermen.
The preservation of the oyster has re-
ceived but little attention from the State,
and it is very probable that unless some
thing is done to regulate the working OF
the oyster beds, this important article of
food will in few years be very scarce
and costly. In several States, especially
Maryland and Virginia, the value of the
oyster as an article of trade and food is
considered so great that the dredging, or
longing OF oyster is placed under the care
of a special police force. 1t is not very
long since the telegraph dispatches gave
an account of battle between these pro-
tectOrs of the oyster beds and those who
were trespasslng upon them in defiance of
the law which resulted in the capture OF
several vessels belonging to the depreda-
tors.
Private parties, who own water privi-
leges on creeks and rivers in Georgia. are
often sufferers by the intrusion of I'M
authorized parties on their oyster pre-
serves. The planting of the bivaIve is a
considerable industry in waters near
Savannah, and those who are engaged in
the business realize a good return from
their labOrs. These oyster growers, how
ever, are compelled to be constantly on
the alert to keep the filibusters from raid
ing their beds. The owners of oyster
beds and the planters, however, have
laws to protect them in their rights, and,
therefore, to limited extent, protect the
oyster from total determination.
The main source of SaVannah's oyster
supply is at the mouths of the rivers and
sounds along the coast. These waters are
free to all who can sail or row boat and
buy pair of oyster tongs. An extensive
business is done in this way on the Sa-
Yannah river. At Tybee Knoll, around
Cockspur Island, and at ether points,
oysters are plentiful, and are noted for
their delicious flavor. When the weather
is not too stormy 20 to 30 boats can be
seen at anchor, and their crews busiIy
engaged in bringing up the oysters with
tongs. In front of Fort Pulaski
wharf there are extensive beds of
fine oysters. These beds are now
being worked for sail they are WORTH"
each boat securing from 100 to 200 bushels
of oysters per day. These oystermen, of
course, are making a legitimate living,
and no one should interfere with them.
1t is stated, however, that there is prac-
tee prevalent among many of them
which threatens to destroy their means
OF getting living, namely, ''culling"
the oysters on the banks-that ia knock
ing the dead shells overheard and thus
covering up the live oysters in
harbor for ''lice," stone crabs
and other enemies of the oyster. 1t is
said that when the oysters in bed begin
to die the contagion spreads. and in few
years where there was once a seemingly
lnexhaustible bed there is nothing but a
bank of dead shells. 1t is stated that
quite large area of the Knoll oyster bed
is nothing but dead shells, caused by
''culling."
Those engaged in oystering should in
terest themselves in this important mat
ter and see that these submarine sources
of wealth are not destroyed through the
thoughtlessness or indifference of those
who, at least in this generation, are the
most interested in their preservation.