Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-21
OUR OYSTER BEDS.
HOW TO MAKE THEM YIELD MORE
ABUNDANTLY.
The State Asked to Par. with Her Lands
snd Give tho People
Chance.
To NE Eaitor Of Mo Dispatoh

CFOANN uilNtf NAiA NbkfI 70 tDhDiC tucID
TO ascertain for the State and tho oyster
men the best methods 10 increase the
supply OF oysters, and to establish
chair Of biology IN the college at VIII
hamshurg. 1 ask for space in your
g4luablo paper TO place before the people
o. the State what | consider the best for
fhis. now nearly dead, interest OF the
State. We must first look back aud see
what our experience has been and what
We can learn from IL and that OF others.
some thirty years ago the oyster fundum
VS. brought 20 the attention of the peo-
RE above salt water Virginia as a sub
iect for taxation, which made it matter
Oi interest 70 those not directly inter
ested and just after the close Of the war
IN 1865 the Legislature levied a tax on
this industry, expecting 10 derive an
enormous revenue from it-cnough 20
ray the state debt This effort was com
menccd at the most favorable period
inst after the war, when the
beds had had five years rest
end we're covered with fine oysters.
Oysters we're therefore abundant. the
prices good, because OF that time the
Chesapeake bay furnished nine tenths
Of uli the oysters in tho markets OF the
United States. Tho people north and
east of Sandy Hook had not learned 10
propagate and grow them as they are
now doing Under those conditions.
with feet OF steamer vessels 10 execute
Che law, some money vas collected and
paid into the Treasury about 100000
in six years. But the most of IL was
paid during the first part Of that period.
Tie last year nothing was paid. Then
II WIS that the State sold tho oyster
navy nj u sacrifice after six years of
trial 60 get money from the oyster-beds.
This was in The year 1874. in 1888 the
Legislature put on another fleet TO raise
revenue and protect the oyster interest.
We have had, therefore, a second trial OF
ak years 70 obtain revenue from the
oyster fuudum. The results are that no
revcnuehas been collected. II Is doubt
ful. in fact, If the navy has been self
sustaining aud the oystarbeds arc de-
plctcl
OUR SYSTEM
To sum up, the State has had twenty
five years experience raising revenue and
protecting the oystcr-beds Of the State,
and both have boon decided failure.
What Is the condition q affairs to-day
The oyster interest has dwindled in VIZ
GINA until il is almost worthless. The
people Of the North, principally on
Long Island sound, who bought all their
Baed-oystors from us twenty years ago,
lave learned 10 grow and cultivate Them
until they now have more oysters than
Tirlina. And this state Of things is
likely TO continue and grow worse for Us
unless an Intelligent remedy Is applied.
What shall It Toe ? The progressive and
experienced oystermon havo watched
the development Of the oyster
grounds elsewhere; they know the
fesults-ths work is easily dono-
and they are anxious to do it. Now,
what stops them The laws Of the
State. Nothing else. The law allows a
pracariOus title Of bottom 30 any one who
desires TO plant oysters by applying TO
nu inspector and paying the tax on tho
same. lie is allowed 10 hold the grounds
for the purpose Of planting oysters.
The lessee OF these grounds under this
the only title the State grants. plants
feed-oystcrs nt an expense Of from $50
20 800 per acre. Nothing is said while
an this is going on. The planter holds
this title from the Staie-a night that
haa been duly assigned him by qualified
officers OF the state 20 whom he paid
the price. All goes well until the ex-
penditure is made and the crop grown.
THE OYSTER ANARCHIST
Then the oyster anarchist in the bust
ness claims that ct one time a natural
oyster.bed existed on the ground go
planted. Whether this be true or not
the State renders oil cid in her power 10
deprive the planter Of the right sho
Granted him and for which he paid his
money. Last week the third trial OF the
Commonwealth AGAINST Rowe occupied
the Court in Gloucester county, with the
.ool talent az that county and
Niddlceex engaged in the case. Rowe
lind planted about -. 600 bushels Of oys-
4er.shella 10 form a base for an oyster
bed at an expense Of $500, besides the
rrico charged 10y the State. He has now
io fight the State to hold what she pre-
viously granted him, and after two trials
70 hung jury was the result-eleyen
jurors Tor Rowe and one negro juror OPP
posed. lie may now hold his grounds
awhile longer. fight it Through the courts,
and finally lose il, at "a greater expense,
and his outlay for it viii not pay to re-
move the shells Oystcr-culture is 10y
r1ch means practically forbidden in Vir-
p.uiq This will he n lesson for the next
ovsterman who wants to plant, cultivate,
and grow them. Hence the oyster
Industry is fast dwindling. Tho ma
mral beds are nearly exhausted and
the cultivation is forbidden by the laws
q the state. Now for the remedy. ]
suggest give 10 the practical and lntelh-
gent ovstermcn an opportunity 70 grow
oysters. How? Mark of, stake ont,
survey. and record the plats OF the
natural oyster-beds in the respective
counties in which thcy are located
thcre VIII 100 some work for the oyster
uavy), then grant TO oystermen the
bare grounds under the water ut the
same price and on the same terms that
all the other lands Of the Commonwealth
have been granted
TIE "oYsrEB CHAIRS
The oyster interest cannot wait and llye
until the subject is understood 10y the col
leges There is no necessity, in my ludg-
ment, for any delay. The people know
what TO do they only want an opportu-
nity 10 put their knowledge into prac-
tice. do not object 10 a grant OF TO-
600 acres OF bare grounds lthe state
grants nothing else) TO William aud
Mary College 20 be used as an experl--
ment-ground and to endow a chair OF
Biology az suggested by MIR. Tyler l
favor II because the probabilities are
We would derive some scientific know
ledge from the work, for oyster-culture,
Ike everything else OF value, at this
time must be progressive; and no
doubt trained thinkers at work
on this subject would learn foster
than practical oyster people. aud teach
them in the future. Just now, how
ever. the oysterrnon know how to start
tha VOW end carry IL TO success. IL Is