The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-16

the opinion of others have made it Sept
although some of the -oystermen would
| agree to later date, one notably, who
would have it extended to Nov. l, for the
/ reason that he can make no shipments in
| consequence of the poor quality until OF
after, that date. Another wishes not to be
lnterfered with in July. The penalty in
Maryland for taking oysters between April
ID and Sept. l, is from $50 to $500, or inn
years.
! 2. The culling of oysters on the banks,
where they were taken, or, in other words,
the dead shell, shall be returned to the
oyster beds. A violation of this provision
is punished in Virginia as larceny of the
oysters. The objection to this section by
one person Is its possible inconvenience and
yet the removal of the dead shells is one of
the chief causes of the rapid decrease of TIE
quantity of oysters in Chatham county. In
France constructions like baskets of
matted willow twigs are sunk to
| collect the spat. If the spawn can
find no clean, solid object upon
which to settle it all perishes and these
dead shells are here the only available
objects Besides, these shells have frequently
numerous young oysters attached too small
for use, and when thrown overheard on a
muddy bottom they all perish. When all
the shells are removed from an oyster bank
the bottom becomes too soft to sustain the
weight of the few remaining oysters and
the previously valuable bed disappears
under the common surface of mud.
3. The privilege of planting oysters and
reservations for the purpose. In the first
draft of the bill restricted the right by a
slight property qualification, and so in
formed nearly all the residents and property
owners on the salts, whom | approached on
this subject, but thinking it more just
and less likely to engender opposition as
class legislation, have altered this provision.
Upon application of any male citizen, of
full age, the county commissioners may
execute lease of planting ground for ten
years, after an appraisement of the value of
such planting place. If any of those gen
tlemen who signed paper | submitted to
them object to this alteration | will erase
their signatures upon notification. The bill
provides for the mode Of appraisement.
Oyster dealers may possibly o Ject to this
clause in apprehension of the Gu tailment of
the public domain, when in fact it would
inure to the benefit of the trade if every
oysterman had his own special ground to
project and to cultivate and improve.
Under present conditions these reservations
are absolutely needed as breeding grounds
to populate the public. territory. When an
oyster spawns, the ova rise to the surface
and drift about with the tides until mature
they atfix themselves to some object as
''spat." There are, therefore, nine chances
against one that they will settle upon their
own birthplace, and thus will be deposited
somewhere on the public domain, or some
other planting ground. If the whole area
be denuded of all the oyster banks, process
now going on, there will be no full-grown
oysters left to insure future progeny.
But am trespassing too much upon your
space, and will only briefly mention the re-
manning important provisions of the bill:
l. A license from So on boats up to IS
feet long; s. for over IS feet long and 81
per ton on sloops and schooners.
2. The division of the six coast counties
into two districts.
g. The appointment by the governor of a
salaried inspector for each, who is to pro-
vide his own vessel and crew and guard his
respective territory. The salary is to be
paid out Of rents, licenses, etc.
4. When such proceeds of licenses, rents,
ETC., exceed the amount of salary, one
fourth of such excess to go to the public
schools; from coiored oystermen, to colored
schools, and from white oystermen to white
schools, the remaining three-fourths to be
placed by the state treasurer to the credit
of an oyster fund, for the future develop
ments OF the industry, enlarged under the
operations of the law.
A 0EMTEp