The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-06-08
OYSTER CULTURE.
Annual Report of State
Biologist Nelson.
MILLIONS IN BIYALYES.
There are $4,000 Acres and if Gull
tiEated Their Income Might Be
Multiplied Forty Fold.
speeiai 70 Ms yerss9 citg Nem..


TRENTON, June Z, 1S90.-The report of
Jersey Agricultural College Experiment
Station, contains some very interesting
facts concerning the oyster industry in
this State. Few are aware of the fact
that the total area of natural oyster
ground in the State is about $4,000 acres.
The production of seed is in round num-
bers 100000 bushels, giving 25 bushels
to the acre. which at 25 cents bushel,
the average price of seed gives us su CHI
ground as yielding IS per acre per an
mum. But the oysters are scatter ed over
this area IN patches, SO the yie Id, per
acre, of actual oyster ground is much
greater.
The whole of this ground, if planted
with oysters and under civilization, would
yield a revenue forty times as great as it
now yields. Even if one-half of this area
were devoted, by private enterprise, TO
seed raising alone, it would yield seed
sufficient for a long time to come.
ACRES OF 'EaI.
There are 79,000 acres OF natural oyster
beds in the State. and 1880 acres of
planted grounds The number of
bushels OF oysters marketed last year
We're 2.052. COO. From the nearly 1900
acres held by planters there is an
annual yield OF TWO and quarter mil
lion dollars to the people of the State,
or an average of $40 per acre. OF course
q larger sum is realized from the ground
as actually harvested, but only about
third of the above acreage actually
is harvested in any one year. A planter
requires considerable extra ground,
because it takes at least three
years for an oyster tobecome marketable;
and, besides, if he plants thickIy, the
md ct II
Some oysters mature more rapidly than
others, or are more mature when first
put down. or again, do not exhaust the
ground SO rapidly, that the planter has
some ground from which he realizes pro-
fit each year, and other ground on which
he reaps only every fourth or fifth year.
If all the ground is good ground the aver
age annual revenue from farm should
DO $3.50 per acre. Suppose the 100000
acres in the State which are adapted to
oyster growing, il cultivated scientific
ally, would only produce 500 per acre,
holding it would mount up to $40. 900, 600
Ia sum ten times as great as that now
realized.
II will be objected, he continues. that
the demand for these oysters will not be
sufficient to keep up the prices. and more
over. that neighboring States, such as
Maryland, have even better facilities for
producing oysters, so that the market
will be glutted TO this he replies that
the oyster product OF Maryland is de-
pendent upon its natural beds, that these
are surely being destroyed, and that it
will require a considerable time before
people who have been used 10 taking
oysters from natural beds will become
educated so as to allow a planting indus
try to spring up. Meanwhile the popula-
ton of the country is increasing, and the
demand for good oysters Will never cease
The community which moves to the
front first in producing easily aud abund-
antly a superior oyster will reap the bene
fits.
OUR WATER AREA.
The Biologist goes on TO show the great
value OF the water area OF the State,
which is one-tenth OF its entire ares The
relative Importance of the land and water
areas he says Is not expressed by this
ratio Much OF the land is rocky, much
is arid, much is swampy; and these
tracts are sparcely populated. and can
Yield only a Door return for mans susten
Ienance without very extended labor
being bestowed upon their cultivation.
On the other hand, the presence OF bodies
OF water enhances the value of the farms
In their vicinity, furnishing moisture TO
the soil, and drink for man and beast.
Mountainous regions. because of the
presence OF lakes aud cRtaracts, become
noted resorts. where mind and body are
recuperated by viewing the beauty of the
scenery, and sporting upon and IN the
waters.
He then goes on to show that the water
area of the State might be more produc-
tive than the Land area, which is Il sur
prising fact Four-iifths OF the water
area, or 361 ,96s acres, arc tidal waters.
OF this, probably. 300 600 acres are adapted
to growing oysters. This fact, as we'll as